Prov 27.17
If Proverbs are new to you, some guidelines may be helpful. We regularly hear proverbs, these pithy life comments designed to put wisdom right on our fingertips. Like the proverb from the farm, “Make hay while the sun shines.” Great wisdom for making use of the present time to accomplish what will provide great benefit in the days to come.
Most typically, biblical proverbs are two thoughts brought together in various types of parallelism, that is, the proverb is said twice for emphasis. Proverbs make use of figures of speech. They’re brief. In fact, brevity is one of the artistic works of a proverb which seeks to express the most wisdom in the fewest words. Brevity also makes them easy to remember, translate quickly into life situations, and make them fresh in our thinking.
Words are like the common element carbon, which forms more compounds than any other element. Yet while common, when compressed under great pressure, carbon becomes a diamond (so you’re thinking of the old Superman show where he squeezes coal and it becomes a diamond)!
Words compressed become Proverbs, gems, literally diamonds, for our lives! Proverbs are general truths expressed in specific examples, often generalizations drawn from everyday life experience. Proverbs are not laws or promises, be certain to note this. They are guides to “skill in living” — that’s what the Hebrew term for “wisdom” means. Wisdom, skill in living, comes by doing it, not just by reading about it! Proverbs are crafted so we can memorize them quickly, remember them easily, recall them regularly, ponder on them consistently, so that by our pondering on and meditating on them develop our day-to-day living skills.
Just as “diamonds” are very hard and make great abrasives, even cutting tools, so Proverbs may do some grating on us, even cutting on us. As we learn from and are guided by these jewels of wisdom, let me assure you, “skill in living” will be your outcome!
In the coming posts, we’ll take some Proverbs and look at them briefly, hopefully gaining some insights for living as God designed.
Let me leave you with one more illustration of how Proverbs are so useable! You can take a handful of these “gems” and drop them in your pocket or purse and pull one out almost anytime and “roll it around” in your heart, then settle it in your heart, and, you’ll see your life changed by this wonderful wisdom from God’s Word!
Enjoy!
Prov 27.17