Not long ago, while picking out plants for my garden, a fellow shopper started telling me the best way to grow tomatoes. I didn’t ask for her advice, yet she freely shared her copious thoughts. She failed to ask me if I knew anything about tomatoes, just assumed I needed help. Perhaps I gave off that vibe.

I hear a lot of advice from a lot of people. Some asked for, some not, some helpful, some inane. All I can do is choose what to consider and what to ignore (like how to plant tomatoes from a chatterbox).

Solomon laid out the theme of a book filled with wise advice in this way:

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.

Solomon’s thoughts are justified and well-founded, with no cause for uncertainty. They come with a life-time warranty. For thousands of years people matched their behavior to his instructions and reaped the benefits.

Free for the taking, Solomon’s advice waits quietly in the pages of my Bible. No one’s chatting it in my ear. It’s up to me to open the book, thumb through the pages, read, consider, and apply. So good, so helpful, and so much better than the unsolicited advice I hear every day from the world around me.

Proverbs 1 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Courtney Smith