It’s In The Book

On those days when I need a good laugh, I know where to go. Or wisdom, same place. Or direction in the face of a problem, right there. Many of us head for the local bookstore and peruse the “Self Help” section. There must be a book that will offer positive suggestions. And there is. It might be on your bookshelf already. Actually it is a book within a book; a collection of wisdom that is timeless. It’s called Proverbs: The Wise Sayings of Solomon, and it’s tucked in between the beauty the Psalms and the rather sad observation of life’s futility in the book called Ecclesiastes. Mixed in with ancient wisdom that has been modified by time and circumstances, you will find little nuggets of truth that are eternally relevant and rewarding. For instance: who can argue with this statement…”Don’t be greedy, merciless and cruel as wolves, tearing into the poor and feasting on them, shredding the needy to pieces only to discard them.” Or, this one that most parents should memorize: “Four things amaze me; no, four things I’ll never understand: how an eagle flies so high in the sky, how a snake glides over a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, and why adolescents act the way they do.”

The Book of Proverbs is a potpourri of ancient wisdom and practical truth. Have a look for yourself, but when you do remember this: there are several translations of the Old and New Testaments, so the exact wording might vary. The ones I’ve shared are from Eugene Peterson’s “The Message.”

One more that has a very contemporary ring, one that reminds me of the teaching and demand of Jesus when people wanted to know the essence of his message: “Speak up for the poor who have no voice, for the rights of all the misfits. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

It’s in the book. It ought to be engraved on our hearts.