You have probably wondered about the best books in the Bible. For most of us, we may find that there are some books in the Bible that are easier to read, and very enjoyable.
For me, that is the book of proverbs, which is often called the book of wisdom.
Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I call it my self-development bible, as it has a treasure trove of information on godly living that is practical and easily applicable.
Who wrote the Book of Proverbs?
There are many variations of the authors of the Book of Proverbs, but we do know that King Solomon wrote a significant part of the book.
Some other authors include a man named Agur, who was said to have written chapter 30. While King Lemuel was said to have written Chapter 31.
Beyond who the authors are, the real point is that this book provides important life principles that are powerful and can help us live life the right way.
But then, I also need to state this:
Christian living is about the journey just as much as the destination.
It’s about the choices we make, every day, and how all of these add up to who we become.
This is contrary to the saying that the “the end justifies the means’, which is usually the world’s way. We are told to do anything necessary to get what we want.
We hear stories of people who cheat and lie to gain wealth but they lose so much – integrity, peace, a good name — all for the sake of riches. Women who will do anything for the sake of marriage – date indiscriminately, get pregnant, cheat, lie.
This is not the kingdom way. The means are just as important as the end.
But don’t get bogged down with the need to be perfect. No Christian is perfect!
No Christian has successfully overcome all the trials, temptations and sins. This should not cause fear but serve as a reminder that our Christian walk is a journey, no one has it all figured out but we keep taking that next step, trusting that the One who has called us to Himself will continually equip us for the journey.
Ten Biblical principles from the Book of Proverbs
Here are ten Christian living principles to remind us of the things that matter in the Kingdom of God.
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Be Teachable
“To learn, you must love discipline, it is stupid to hate correction.”
Proverbs 12:1
“Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.”
Proverbs 16:20
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Guard your tongue
“Those who control their tongue will have a long life, opening your mouth can ruin everything.”
Proverbs 13:3
“The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.”
Proverbs 15:28
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Reign in your pride
“Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.”
Proverbs 16:18-19
“Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2
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Diligence brings wealth
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty short cuts lead to poverty.”
Proverbs 21:5
“The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and he adds no sorrow with it.”
Proverbs 10:22
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Love covers all
“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.”
Proverbs 10:12(NKJV)
“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”
Proverbs 17:9
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Ill-gotten gains fritter away
“The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.”
Proverbs 10:16,
Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.”
Proverbs 21:6
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Seek the truth, live honestly
“Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.”
Proverbs 11:3,
“People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.”
Proverbs 10:9
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Kindness is its reward
“Your kindness will reward you but your cruelty will destroy you.”
Proverbs 11:17
“Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.”
Proverbs 21:21 (GNB)
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Stand for justice
“The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.”
Proverbs 21:3
“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers, it is dismay, calamity and ruin.”
Proverbs 21:15
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Give generously
“The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.”
Proverbs 11:24-25 (MSG)
The key ingredient in applying Biblical principles
Many of these biblical principles are not new.
For many of us, these are things we have been hearing since we became Christians, even as far back as Sunday school. We were often told not to tell lies, to work hard and be kind to people.
We are reminded to love others, to give of our resources. All good and nice-sounding advice but we often fail, we often fail to live this way and there are a few reasons for this:
- We try to live right in our strength
- We believe it is impossible to live this way and don’t even try
- The world and its ways hold more sway in how we choose to live our lives
We often forget the most important ingredient of Christian living – Christ, himself.
We cannot live a Christ-like life without the author himself.
He is the progenitor of godly living, which means it is not possible to live the right way without Jesus. He is the only human being to live the perfect life so why do we try to do it ourselves when we can lean on him and do it in his strength?
There is a way, don’t try to create yours
Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. He has already created a way for us. Don’t try to figure things out on your own. We need to go to the one who has laid the path and it is only when we live according to his blueprint that we can live a victorious life.
The Place of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to us to help us live Christ-like lives. He is the game-changer for Christians.
I will be the first to confess that I don’t always make the most of this relationship. There are days where I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that the Holy Spirit is God living inside of me, He is there to reveal the truth(Jesus) and God’s will to me.
It is so beautiful yet so incomprehensible that the maker of heaven and earth did not just save me but thought it fit to also dwell inside of me.
How amazing is our father!
His love knows no bounds. His mercies are ever new and ever bountiful.
A prayer for every one of us
As we meditate on these Biblical principles and what God is telling us in this season, I pray that we allow His Holy Spirit to work in us. We do not try to do things in our strength but yield to the author and finisher of our faith.
May we surrender all that we are, knowing that our gracious and loving father can mould us into the likeness of His Son.
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