Prepare
Do you ever wonder what it takes to please God? It couldn’t be clearer than in Proverbs. Ask God to give you a willing heart as you prepare to be counseled by Him.

Read
Proverbs 1:1-19

Explore
There is a well-known saying in Spanish – “Tell me who you walk with and I will tell you who you are.”

Who you associate with tells a lot about a person. And in Proverbs, the Lord wastes no time warning against such basic mistakes.

It is interesting that the fear of the Lord (vs 1-7) and choosing friends (vs 10-19) are the first two subjects in the book of Proverbs. We should not take lightly this first passage – one of the longest in the whole book. As Solomon, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lays the foundation on how to live a successful life, he gives us two clear points of emphasis – wisdom through the fear of the Lord and foolishness through poor relationships (v 7).

Take time to check out Psalm 128:1, Psalm 112:1, Proverbs 8:3, Job 1:1, and 2 Corinthians 5:11a. In each passage, the fear of the Lord has a direct correlation to walking in His ways, finding delight in His commands, and hating evil. It is a direct rebuke of foolish, undisciplined living.

Do you desire to be filled with wisdom and knowledge? Do you want to honor God with your life and fear Him with a holy fear? Then start by looking at your influences. Who do you spend time with? Who influences you? Is it God, or is it unhealthy friendships?

Respond
Heavenly Father, I look to you from the depths of my heart to give me daily direction for every aspect of my life. Thank you for your personal counsel.