A Goal Worth Pursuing for a Month – or More

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions yet? Have you broken any yet? Perhaps, if you’re like me, you formulate goals for the new year instead. I much prefer goals over resolutions, since once they’ve been broken, resolutions are done. Finis. Kaput. Finito. Goals, however, can be ongoing – works in progress.

If you’ve procrastinated and are still in the process of goal-setting or resolution-making for this year, I have a suggestion: How about aiming to read one chapter of Proverbs, the number of which matches the day’s date, for a month? Better yet, for at least two months? 

By doing that – for instance reading chapter 1 of Proverbs on Jan. 1, the second chapter on Jan. 2, and so on – you’ll be reading the entire book from the Bible twice. I guarantee, you’ll discover a fountain of wisdom that might leave you in amazement.

While writing this, I was reading through the 17^th chapter of Proverbs. It was filled with pithy statements that are deserving of being taken to heart and letting them guide our thoughts and actions. Here are some examples:

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife” (Proverbs 17:1). Living in an environment with continuous conflict does more than unsettle one’s stomach. It would probably be better having humble provisions with tranquility than to possess lavish provisions amid great turmoil.

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart” (Proverbs 17:3). Just as precious metals are refined by intense heat, sometimes God turns up the “heat” of our circumstances not only to see what’s in our hearts (innermost motivations), but also to shape them into what He desires for them to be.

“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children” (Proverbs 17:6). This gives us a double-pronged view, noting the joy grandparents can feel once their own children have grown and they can enjoy the next generation of offspring. At the same time, the godly influence of parents who have espoused lofty virtues but strived to live up to them leaves an indelible impact.

“He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends” (Proverbs 17:9). When we were kids, no one liked a tattletale. This holds true even for our adult years, when we confront the temptation to talk negatively about others even to the point of tearing them down in the presence of others.

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out” (Proverbs 17:14). We live in a time when everyone seems eager to give a piece of their mind they can’t afford to lose. Arguments seldom resolve problems, so a calm spirit and well-controlled tongue can do wonders for preserving the peace.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). We hear so much about social media “friends,” as well as people whose friendships are restricted to certain activities. It’s a true blessing to have genuine friends we can count on during tough times as well as happy times.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). The problem with everyday life is that it’s so…daily. It can be discouraging and disheartening, especially when hopes, dreams and aspirations remain out of reach. Rather than adding to the gloom, we can do others a good service by offering words to encourage and uplift them.

“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue” (Proverbs 17:28). As someone has observed, it’s better to be quiet and thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt. Words well-chosen and used with discretion are preferable to abundant words without substance.

These are just eight of the verses from a single chapter. And every chapter of Proverbs is packed with similar wisdom. If you’ve never tried it, I’d recommend reading one chapter from this book every day for a month. Then repeat the process for a second month. You might decide to make it a habit.

Knowledge or Wisdom? You Choose

Proverbs is considered one of the Bible's "wisdom books."

Knowledge or wisdom – if you had to pick one or the other, which would you choose?

My father had a favorite saying to describe some people: “He’s so smart, he’s stupid.” His meaning, you might surmise, was just because individuals have a certain level of intelligence and may have acquired a substantial amount of information, that doesn’t ensure they know how to put it to use effectively.

Kind of like people that don’t have enough sense to get out of the rain.

There’s a link between wisdom and common sense. Some of the wisest people I’ve met didn’t have college degrees or a lot of what we used to call “book learning.” But if you were trying to make a decision or looking for practical advice, they were the ones I’d consult first.

One friend used to say, “I’ll never understand why, if we didn’t have time to do it right the first time, we have time to do it over again.” Another friend had a sign posted in his office, “Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

Maybe not quotes we'd attribute to Einstein, or Newton, or da Vinci. Not the kind of material that would make you the life of the party at a Mensa International conference. Just the same, these observations make good sense.

How do you get wisdom? Some experts say it comes from experience, the experience of making good decisions. And how do you make good decisions? By making bad ones – and learning from them, they say.

We’re about to enter a new year. For many of us that signifies a chance for a new beginning. I’m a person that likes to review the year past and set goals for the year ahead. One worthwhile goal, it seems to me, would be to grow in wisdom. But how can we do that?

The book of Proverbs offers
much to think about.

You could make a bunch of poor decisions, try to learn from them and make better decisions down the road. That might work. But a simpler, less painful way I’ve found is to regularly read from the Old Testament’s book of Proverbs, one of the Bible’s so-called “wisdom books.”

I suspect most the readers of this blog, because of its content, are already people of faith or at least spiritual interest. But even if you’re not, hear me out.

For years I’ve made a daily practice of reading the chapter from Proverbs that coincides with the date of the month. For instance, today would be the day to read chapter 31, which happens to describe an exceptional woman, the so-called “the Proverbs 31 woman.”

Tomorrow I plan to start reading again from the beginning, chapter 1, which makes the declaration, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:6). Hey, the Bible said it, I didn’t.

I've found reading Proverbs so helpful, I often make notes
in margins about key principles it presents.

Why read Proverbs over and over, month after month, year after year? Maybe it’s because I’m dense and it takes time for things to sink in. But I’ve learned reading these simple yet profound verses serve as a continual reminder of what to do and how to think, and what not to do and how not to think.

Over the course of its 31 chapters (you might have to double up occasionally in February, and in months with 30 days), it covers a wide range of topics, including anger, handling conflict, discipline, seeking counsel and guidance, sexual temptation, hard work and laziness, discipline, speech and communications, generosity, inner motives, honesty and integrity, pride and humility, the use and abuse of money, planning, security, even leaving a legacy.

Proverbs offers practical wisdom for the workplace as well as one’s personal life. Groups of business and professional people – believers and non-believers – have met regularly to discuss how principles from Proverbs apply to their careers and circumstances.

Why not give it a try? Tomorrow, just for the heck of it, read chapter 1 of Proverbs, and the next day read chapter 2. See what you think. Some of the ideas might not connect with you, but you may find a few that make you go, “Hmmm!” You might even decide to read chapter 3, out of curiosity if for no other reason.

If you try it, let me know how it goes.