Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Proverbs, Day 2 Readings

Avoiding Common Traps and Wisdom as the First Part of God's Creation  

Today's first reading advises people against common traps that people fall into.  Wisdom is not making such obvious mistakes, like being lazy or falling for the silky promises of a lying shyster.  Also (and this is a reminder that much wisdom literature assumes that men are the only audience), you should not fall into an adulterous affair with a scheming woman.

Read Proverbs 6:6-28  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

The second reading is an ode spoken from the viewpoint of wisdom, calling people to follow this wisdom.  First, it is useful and leads to a good life.  Why?  Because wisdom was the first thing created by God when God created the heavens and the earth.  Such an argument means that wisdom is the most important thing in creation, and should be prized and cherished by the rest of creation.

Read Proverbs 8:1-36  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
[links to Bible Gateway open in a new window]

Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Proverbs 7-12 today.