When reading Proverbs this week, I was reminded of how often when studying this book, we take it and try to categorize the verses according to subject. Perhaps one week we look into the fear of the Lord, the next week anger, then study how we use our tongue, and so on. It’s easy to begin to wonder why God arranged this book as it is given, with each verse often differing in thought from the one before it. How do we study something that won’t unpack itself neatly according to our organized tastes?
While reading Proverbs this time around, the above picture popped into my mind. Recently one of my children has taken an interest in rocks. I’ve seen them displayed for purchase in two ways, either sorted by specific kind or mixed together as shown above.
There is great benefit in sorting rocks by category. It makes them easier to identify and allows comparison within each variety.
When mixed together, there is a sense of wonder and appreciation for how each color and variety offsets its neighbor. I think the book of Proverbs is like that! As we read each verse, we are given a nugget of wisdom to look at, turn over in our minds, and then put on display in a beautiful life containing the many facets of the wisdom of God.
written by Leah Rhodes
What a nice thought, Leah! It is a lot like life, isn’t it? Our lives go on and things happen that we can’t fit into our neat little boxes. We go from one thing to another and through it all God is the source of stability, our rock. He is the one who gives wisdom and sometimes helps us to make sense of things and sometimes not. But through it all He is there as our refuge and strength.