Good grief. I am glad to have an extra day this weekend. Happy Labor Day, Y’all! Hope you are enjoying a beautiful and relaxing day—a well-earned reprieve from your work.

Twice this week I’ve heard from close friends who are reading the book of Proverbs as a spiritual practice. With 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, we can read one chapter every day of the month. It’s a widely encouraged discipline to gain a deeper understanding of wisdom.

I want that! Truth is—I need that! I need to grow in wisdom—the kind that can help me navigate the uncertain future looming up ahead. In fact, a life well lived is one that has operated out of the treasure trove of wisdom.

Although the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the ultimate master class, it’s the book of Proverbs that has always been quipped the master class of wisdom. Every word is an appeal to commit to this path of heightened character, conduct, and deep-seated motivations.

So with that in mind, I am committing to adopt this quest today. I am hoping it will help me live a healthier more fulfilling life. One that I can look back on and see the evidence of applying the lessons from Lady Wisdom.

As a rule, each proverb must be read in context as the truth is often found in the context of the entire collection of sayings, instructions, and reflections. Even though Proverbs is full of wise words, wisdom itself is found in the One who inspired them to be written…

The Master of the Master Class is Jesus.

It was His Word that fills each and every breath of each and every word written in the Book of Proverbs. And although the book of Proverbs is full of wise words and adages, we witness wisdom, in full form, in the life of Jesus. This is where we see it in action.

On a personal note, I’ve been working through two very emotionally and spiritually charged anniversaries this past week. Each one happened in different seasons of my life and challenged me in ways that are still sometimes hard to define.

In both situations, tragedy happened in an instant. And each one has tested the faith that flows within the deep currents of my soul. Although I have not forsaken my faith or my God, these sucker punches to the gut have caused me to ask some hard questions. Questions that require a wisdom beyond my experience.

Habakkuk, an Old Testament minor prophet also asked some hard questions in his lifetime. In the end, He chose wisdom as his guide.

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1). Habakkuk was desperate for wisdom, and He was willing to wait and watch for it to come.

Are we willing to wait? To watch? To Ask? And to seek the wisdom we need for all things—career, love, friendships, parenting? Are we willing, like Habakkuk to praise before we see the provision?

Personally, I can’t say I do this on the regular, but I want to. I want to be a student of wisdom. I want to grow in knowledge and understanding. And I want all of this to affect the dailiness of my life.

You might ask yourself how Solomon, notably one of the wisest men in the Bible could die a fool. And the answer is found in his own proverb, “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19:27).

This is a great reminder that there’s no guarantee of retaining wisdom if we become apathetic to its instruction. Our eyes, ears, and heart will stray off the narrow road to follow voices and vices vying for our illicit allegiance. More often than not, it’s a slow fade. One in which we might not even see until it’s too late.

As adults, the learning curve tends to wane as we get older. Not that we aren’t exposed to situations that challenge us, but because we are busy working, parenting, friending, and living life, we struggle to make time to learn and grow and stretch our capacity for deeper wisdom.

We get comfortable, settled, and even protect the status quo. Even so, life doesn’t operate within the status quo—to many moving parts and pieces. In fact, at any given time, we are literally hanging on by a thread, praying the other shoe doesn’t drop before the night is over. We need the sun to rise and offer hope for a new day, a new beginning, a renewed vigor for embracing this journey called life.

The remedy is found in the Master of the master class—“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

Don’t become apathetic to the power of faith and instruction. Don’t stray from the words of knowledge. Seek Him, and you’ll find wisdom. That, my friend, is a guarantee.

Reflect and Respond:

I’d like to encourage you this week, this month, even this year to think about adopting this spiritual practice of reading a chapter of Proverbs each day. Most months have 31 days, so for today, September 3rd, read chapter 3 and so on.

It’s never too late to sit under the Master of the ultimate master class.

Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be blessed and never stop learning, growing and stretching. Class is in session and wisdom awaits.