A Servant's Heartbeat
A Servant's Heartbeat
The Purpose of Proverbs
Ready to slow down and let Scripture read you back? We’re kicking off 2026 by studying Proverbs 1:1–7 and tracing five clear purposes that turn wisdom from a concept into a daily practice.
The link above directs you to questions that align our study.
Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s hungry for practical wisdom, and leave a review with the one purpose you’re putting into practice this week.
Welcome everybody to a servant's heartbeat. My name is Kristen. Thank you for listening and for taking the time to allow me to share my heartbeat for the kingdom of God with you. So, starting back our podcast here in 2026, I was bound and determined. It was my goal to get this back and going. And sure enough, the week that I decide I am going to record, I come down with a cold of some sort, and my voice is going in and out. But I am determined to start this back. So I apologize ahead of time for my voice. All right. So the topic that we are going to start with will really be, I think, a series. Um, so my my heartbeat has really been on Proverbs lately. I uh recently heard something that just encouraged me to dig into Proverbs, not just to read it from cover to cover, so to speak, but to take a very reflective approach to it. And as I had begun to do this, I thought, man, this is this may be good to share with others. So here we are. I don't know as far as how many episodes, if you will, will be in this series on Proverbs, but we'll we'll give it a go and just see where it takes us. So I uh I'm sure you've heard this before, but I've heard somebody say that you know Proverbs has the 31 chapters because you could read a chapter a day and cover the month. So it gives you one chapter a day. If you would just do that, how much help that could be. Another person I've heard say that if they had to pick just one book, not to say that any one book is better than the other, but if they could only pick one that they were able to keep with them all the time, it would be Proverbs, because of all of the life lessons and principles that are in every chapter. There's there's so much within this that can be applied in our day-to-day life. And I think that this approach could be taken with any book, not just Proverbs. But I recently, the same person that kind of gave me the nudge about Proverbs studying, I recently heard someone say that they felt challenged to read the book of Proverbs, not just read it, but to think about it in the sense of how this book was received. So, how did the hearers of that time receive and respond to the wisdom that was written? Now, I would like to think that I can be a good listener at times. I'm not much of a talker, believe it or not, as I'm recording a podcast, but I like to think I'm a good listener. But I I began to ask myself the question okay, kid, you're a good listener, but are you a good responder? How do you respond to what you have read? How how do you respond to what you've heard? And I've I've read through the book of Proverbs many times. I've heard things preached and taught out of it. I've read it in various Bible translations, but have I really taken the time to let this book read me and search me and to let the wisdom within this book begin to shine some light on some things. And what has my response been when this book begins to point some things or reveal some things to me that may need to change? So, as I stated before, I'm not sure how how many of these will be in the series, but here we go, kicking it off with Proverbs chapter one particularly. This will cover verses one through seven. And basically that focus is on the purpose. Why? Why take the time to read and study this book? So that's gonna be our goal for this time we have today. So what is a proverb? Proverbs chapter one, verse one says the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. Well, a proverb is a concise saying that communicates a point or a concept, a principle. It's just a concise saying. And depending on the context of that or where that that saying is, it could be considered a wise saying or something that is used to make an illustrated point of some sort. And while this may seem a little off-topic, I think it's still important to keep in mind, but many proverbs have a poetic nature to them. And sometimes it can be hard for us to catch that given the language barrier going from Hebrew to English. You know, we we might not catch every poetic use that is presented here. But I think our our takeaway from that can be with this book having a poetic nature, I don't want to approach reading this book with a rapid read, but I want to have a reflective read. So when you think about how you approach poetry today and our culture, you know, you it's not something you just read through very quickly from start to finish, but there is a very reflective approach, line by line, to what is being said. And that's the same approach I want to come with with the book of Proverbs. So, what did the people think about these proverbs of Solomon? Now, thinking back to the time frame that this would have been communicated, you know, I want to consider how how did people view wisdom? How did people view Solomon's words? You know, what kind of value or attention was given to these sayings? Now, while Israel, you know, didn't always follow the ways of wisdom throughout their history, sound wisdom was still important to them, and not just to Israel, but to other nations of that time. So, for example, the Queen of Sheba. Think about how far she traveled just to hear Solomon. Now, from just looking and trying to study this out, at minimum, many say that it was a minimum of 1,500 miles or more that she traveled. And this wasn't in a minivan, you know, this was donkey and all the other stuff they had to use back then. But when you consider the distance she was willing to travel, it shows the value that that wisdom had, again, not just to Israel, but to other nations as well. Wisdom was important. So when I consider these sayings, when I consider the value that would have been placed on these Proverbs, on this wisdom. Again, I don't want to just read through Proverbs for it to be just another page turner book. You know, we we've all read those books that, man, you just can't wait to get to the end because it's it's such a good story. And you just, you know, it's it's a rapid read. But again, it's it's a line-by-line approach where I chew on something rather than being so quick to move on to the next sentence. So again, a reflective read, not a rapid read. Okay, so the first purpose of Proverbs is in Proverbs 1, verse 2. And it says, to know wisdom and instruction. And I'm gonna pause there because that's our first purpose. So the purpose here is for us to know. Proverbs kicks it right off and says, To know wisdom. But where do you find wisdom? This exact question is asked in Job chapter 28, verse 12, and it says, But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Just to continue on here in that same same section, man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth said, It is not in me, and the sea said, It's not with me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall it be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, but the precious onyx or the sapphire, the gold and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. Now, this is several verses that make the point clear as mud. You can't set a price on wisdom and understanding. The most valuable stones and material of that time could not be exchanged for wisdom. So if I can't get this with silver, gold, or rubies, then where do I get this wisdom and understanding? Well, verse 20, ask the question again. Job twenty eight and twenty says, Whence then cometh wisdom, and where is the place of understanding? Skipping down to Job twenty-eight, twenty-three, God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. God understands the way, and he knows the place. So, with this first purpose of Proverbs being to know wisdom and instruction, you may be asking, How do I know wisdom? How do I even start? Where do I find wisdom? I think the point becomes well established by looking at what's said here in Job. God understands the way and he knows the place. So looking briefly at some of the key words that are in this verse, to know. So this is just something that is meant for me to learn. My eyes are open when something is revealed. So a purpose in Proverbs can be to help me learn some things. It can reveal and open my eyes to things. Wisdom. This this is beyond just my intellect or my smarts or my IQ. My job is testing IQ. You know, it's it's it's more than about my level of education. The wisdom that this is referring to is a skill or experience that is applied in life with God's will or purpose in view. So when I begin to think about people in my life who I see as having wisdom, it's not because they're a genius. It's because I see how they apply this the skills and experiences to navigate life's situations. And that navigation is directed by God. So, you know, I know a lot of people who have a lot of skills, but there's a difference in how that skill or experience is applied when God is the one who is able to navigate and direct. Now, instruction. This isn't just a how-to tutorial on a new skill or the how-to on how to navigate something, but this instruction includes discipline and correction. When I begin to look at how this Hebrew word for instruction is translated in other places in the Bible, it's also chastening, correction, and discipline, just to name a few. So as an example, Job again. Job 517 says, Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth. Therefore, despise thou not the chastening of the Almighty. And, you know, in all honesty, it can be a struggle for some people, self-included, when something is pointed out that reveals that I was wrong, or I did something wrong, or I I've done something that needs correcting. And I want to be able to get to the place where I know that the Lord's instruction is not coming from a place of attack. It's it's not coming at me as an attack or I I got you, I caught you doing this. And and I'm sure we all know or have all had that experience with that person who is all too ready to pounce on any opportunity to find fault and correct someone. But that's not how my God is. But his instruction is coming from a place of love. So we might get to this later in Proverbs 3, but Proverbs 3.11 says, My son, despise not the chastening, the loving instruction of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. I I can take you to the place, probably several places I have been sitting when I I've started to feel a level of correction or being chastened from the Lord. And it's kind of like this light is turned on in a particular area of life, and some things are revealed. And in some moments, that has been something that has crushed me. It's it's like it hit me. Oh man, I've I've I've been wrong. But looking back, those moments have genuinely been a landmark for me and my walk with God because it's it's been a time where it's helped me to realize just how much I need him. You know, they're just maybe in our humanity, maybe it's just me. I don't know. But I guess I'll just say me. There are times where I try to handle things in a very independent way. Sometimes it's not easy for us to ask for help or to realize that we have been in the wrong on something. And when left to my own ways, I can really make a mess of things. And it don't always feel good when you tell me I made a mess, you know. But but here's the thing that I feel like is so beautiful in a walk with God. His instruction and correction is not separate from his love. So that correction and that instruction is coming from a place of love. Yeah, kiddo, you made a mess. Let me help you. I want to show you a better path, a better way. So can correction hurt or can and this instruction and discipline hurt sometimes? Sure. But my my takeaway from this and knowing the purpose of what I'm going to be reading here in Proverbs is that this is coming from a place of love. Again, I can't separate that instruction from his love. All right, purpose number two, to perceive. So Proverbs 1, 2, still in that verse, to perceive the words of understanding. Now, there are a lot of voices that we have the opportunity to listen to today. I mean, there's access to everything with phones and internet, computers, and you name it. And I'm sure that we have all been in a conversation with somebody as they're talking. And sometimes you realize, man, yeah, that's wisdom. And then sometimes you realize, yeah, I don't know about that. Well, a purpose of Proverbs is to help us listen with discernment. So words can influence my decisions, and that influence contributes to how I weigh out certain choices. So if I'm going to spend time listening to something or someone, I want to be able to tell or perceive when someone is speaking from a place of understanding. So if you'll recall when we read in Job 28, 20, when it asked, where is the place of understanding? Job 28.23 said, God understands the way and he knows the place. So if my discernment radar ain't beeping like it needs to be, Proverbs has some things to help me to perceive, to discern those words of understanding. All right, purpose number three to receive. So this is Proverbs. Proverbs one and three to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment and equity. Now, this almost seems like a repeat from Proverbs 1-2, where it mentions wisdom and instruction. And now here in Proverbs 1, 3, it mentions the instruction of wisdom. Well, what's the difference? So the Hebrew word for instruction in both of those verses is actually the same in both verses. But it's a different Hebrew word for wisdom. So let's look at a couple of verses that maybe carry that same underlying meaning there that could help us understand this difference here. So Joshua chapter 1, verse 8 says, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua was receiving instruction of wisdom. In other words, Joshua, if you'll receive this instruction of wisdom I'm giving you, you'll have good success. The end of that verse in Joshua 1 8, have good success, carries that same underlying meaning as the instruction of wisdom. So another example, 1 Samuel 18, 14, and David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. That same underlying Hebrew word, behaved himself wisely, is the same as wisdom of instruction. So to receive wisdom, or sorry, to receive instruction of wisdom is really about how to conduct yourself, how to behave, the habits that can help you prosper in life. Not according to the standard of somebody who's made it big in the world or whatever, but according to God's standard. Here are some things that can help me prosper and have good success. It's those things that Proverbs will help me receive, or teach me how to receive. So the other part of this says justice and judgment and equity. So just very briefly what those encompass. Justice, what is right, or righteousness, judgment, what is just, or just according to the law. And equity, it's upright dealings, fairness or integrity. So when I think about all of that, and all of these really go hand in hand, but those words are used to describe our conduct or our character. And the overarching point here is that Proverbs is to receive instruction in our relationship with others. So, in other words, the instruction that I receive can be applied and shown in the way I handle myself and my relationships with other people. So if I want to develop right, upright, and healthy relationships, then Proverbs has some guidance or something to say about that if I am willing to receive that instruction. All right. Purpose number four, to give. And this is in Proverbs 1, verse 4. So to give subtility to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. Now the focus here is on the simple and the young. The simple being the one who may not have a large level of experience. They are inexperienced. You know, basically, you don't know what you don't know, you know. So because of that, this person could be easily influenced by others or could be more susceptible to wrong influences. And then you've got the young person or the young man it speaks of here. Well, young is a person who is young in age. This could be a teenage person, but uh Genesis 41 refers to Joseph as a young man. And in that chapter, it tells us that he was 30. So there's a range here. It's not just those who are in their teen age, but young adults here as well. So looking at the meaning of subtility, this is prudence, discernment, or insight. You know, if I'm starting from square one and I feel like, you know, I don't know anything about this, then Proverbs has something to give me, to teach me. If there are situations that I need to navigate and choices I need to make, I and I feel like I'm simple here. I don't, I don't know much. I don't have the experience. In other words, I don't have to stay in this state of being a gullible person that goes with every wind of whatever is said and goes along with the crowd. But proverbs can give me the ability to evaluate my decisions and consider the influences in my life. Now, looking at knowledge and discretion, it's that growth and awareness about some things in life. And as this begins to develop even more, it expands my capacity for understanding. So with a young person or with a young adult, they can have a world of choices before them. But it's that knowledge and discretion that allows them to weigh out all of those choices and decisions. Proverbs can help us learn to look beyond just this is the surface level decision, the right now. And it helps me to consider the end of the matter or the outcome or the effects of that decision that maybe I can't see right now, but I've got to consider what could be the long-term outcome of some things. All right. Purpose number five to understand. So Proverbs five, sorry, Proverbs 1, verse 5 and 6 says, A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. So there's a lot to this one. So let's try to go piece by piece here. So the in general, this next purpose is about understanding. Part of the purpose of Proverbs is to set me on the path to understand, because God knows the place of understanding. This is a teachable spirit. And I think an important point to point out here, that sounds repetitive, but this book isn't just for the simple and the young, but even the wise have something to gain, to learn here. So I don't want to get to the point where I think I know what I need to know. And I just, I just know. You know, I've been in this job long enough, I've been in this position long enough. I've been in this church long enough. I got this. I I don't want to have that mindset or approach. I want to come to this with the idea of being a lifelong learner. Lord, teach me. You know, I don't want to get to the place where I feel like my age and gray hairs means I don't still need some teaching to hear that instruction. No, Lord, I still need you to teach me. Now, the uh other thing to note here that I think will take a little bit of time to explain, because I feel like is, well, at least to me, it feels very important. But that word here, it's Shema in Hebrew. And it just so happens that Pastor actually recently taught about this word and how it's not just about listening or hearing, but this also carries the idea of obedience with it. So Deuteronomy 6 and 4 says, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Well, that's that's that same Hebrew word, here, Shema. And this wasn't just a call to hearing alone, but for Israel to listen or hear and obey. So a wise person will hear, not just listen, but there's some obedience that goes with that. The other alternative would be that you listen, but then you tune something out or you dismiss it and think, ah, I already know that. Now, along the lines of what we're talking about here, this this wise person will hear. I want to think about what's the response of a wise person? You know, so so something to consider as as I begin to study and read about the wisdom or things that a wise person would do, I want to look at me and think, how do I respond to what I have just read or what I hear? How do I respond to someone giving me instruction and correction? Do I hear and make no change? Or do I hear and I have a teachable spirit that causes me to increase learning? And one of the purposes here in Proverbs 1.5, a wise man will hear and increase learning. Now, if you haven't listened to the Bible project or seen kind of some of the things that they they do to illustrate um some things from the Bible, it is pretty cool. But one of the things that I I learned from that in trying to study about this word for here or Shema is that in ancient Hebrew there's not a separate word for obey. So when here was used or Shema, it carried the meaning of listen and obey. And knowing this, I I think about how Proverbs talks about the wise and the fool. Well, that's not revolving around their intellect, but their response. How did they respond to what was being said? All this wisdom that's written, everything that is being communicated here, how am I going to respond to it? Because there is a response that aligns with wisdom, and there is a response that aligns with the fool. But I really got to consider how my habits, my conduct, my actions are aligning with what I'm reading. Am I just thinking, oh, well, that that sounds good. I hear it, but I don't come with a teachable spirit that is ready to listen and obey. And looking at the phrase, man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. Well, life is often referred to as a journey. Some people refer to it as a walk or the road of life. The Bible often talks about the path that we are on or the way that we take. So with this idea of life being like a journey, we need direction for this journey. And in search for that direction, we may go to somebody for counsel and ask, hey, what do you think about this? And that counsel may steer me in one way or another. And in thinking about this and studying it, I found it interesting that the Hebrew word that was used for wise counsel has a connection to the Hebrew word that was used for rope. And when you consider that a rope can be used to tie or bind something that then can be pulled, it kind of gives a picture of what counsel can look like. So when I tie or bind myself to any counsel, being a group of people or a person of influence, there is a pull that's involved. So a certain group of friends may pull or steer me in a particular direction. A wise person gets that. And they don't want to just tie themselves to any old counsel, but they want to attain unto wise counsel, knowing that that pull, that that steering of direction, they need to keep them on the right path. That next part in verse six says to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. In other words, the purpose of Proverbs is to understand the meaning and significance of what is said. It's an understanding beyond the shallow end. Now, that phrase dark sayings has always kind of puzzled me a little bit. But in studying this, it doesn't mean something that's darker in the sense that it's bad, but it means it's a riddle, or it could be a hard question or a hard saying. So the wise and understanding person approaches these things that may riddle or puzzle them with a teachable spirit that the Lord is able to help them understand when they come with that response of Lord, show me, teach me. So one example that I think kind of helps illustrate this point or connect this point is in Matthew 13, where Jesus has just spoken to the crowd in parables. Specifically, this example is the parable of the sower. And his disciples later ask him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? In other words, why deliver it in that way? Why, why, why not just spell it out? What you're trying to say. And something to consider here is that parables, being stories or illustrations and riddles, were a part of the entertainment of that time period. So you think, you know, they didn't have the sources of entertainment that we have today. They didn't have phones and apps and things like a good audiobook or an audio drama. So when when they wanted to be entertained, it was stories. It was an illustration. It was a riddle, something that would get their mind to thinking. So by speaking in parables, it was like it created or a separation, if you will, from those who were in the crowd just for entertainment. I just want to hear another story. I just want to hear another, another illustration or riddle, something that can puzzle me a little bit because I like I like that. It separated from those, from the others who wanted to hear, maybe not quite grasping it all, but were willing to obey. And it's those who were willing to hear and obey that later came to him with the teachable spirit and found themselves saying, Lord, teach me. Help us understand the meaning. So later in that same chapter in verse 37, the disciples asked Jesus to explain the meaning of the parable to them, and he did. So using that to bring us back to Proverbs, the purpose is to bring about an understanding. It may seem a little difficult to understand on the surface, but for those who are willing to listen and obey to where the Lord leads and in the way the Lord leads, He will give us understanding. So the last verse. Each of these purposes so far that we've talked about have all been leading to this principle thing, the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 says, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Now we've we've we come across this statement, the fear of the Lord, several times in the Bible, and just a handful of examples here. Psalms 19:9 says the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. Psalms 111.10 says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 8.3 says the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Proverbs 14, 26 and 27, in the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. The next verse talks about the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Isaiah 33, 6 says, the fear of the Lord is his treasure. So looking at Proverbs 1:7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. We begin various things in life. You know, we are beginning a new year right now. And sometimes when you begin something, there are stages you move through. Maybe there's a beginning stage, and then there's an intermediate stage, and then you progress to an advanced stage. But the fear of the Lord isn't a stage I begin and then I graduate from and move on to something else. The fear of the Lord is my foundation. This is what everything is built upon. This is what it all comes back to. The fear of the Lord. Now we may see that word fear used in different contexts, not just in the Bible, but in some contexts where it communicates this idea of being afraid. And I've heard it explained this way that the fear of the Lord isn't being afraid of him, but it's a reverence or an honor or an awe of him. And in studying this out, I came across how one person described it. And this is this has really helped me to think about how I apply living out what the fear of the Lord looks like. And it was described in this way The fear of the Lord is everyday conduct that sees each moment as the Lord's time, each relationship as the Lord's opportunity, each duty as the Lord's command, and each blessing as the Lord's gift. So going back to the fear of the Lord, it's not a stage I move through, but it's the foundation for my everyday conduct. Seeing each moment of Lord, this is your time. Seeing each relationship as Lord, this is your opportunity. As seeing each duty as, Lord, I want to do it unto you. It's the Lord's command. Seeing each blessing that I receive as, Lord, this is a gift from you. When I look at it that way, the fear of the Lord is all intertwined with my relationship with Him, basically considering Him in everything I do. Isn't there something in Proverbs about in all thy ways, acknowledge him? So the fear of the Lord, again, is it's not just where I start. The fear of the Lord is where I want to live. Proverbs 14, 27, we read this earlier. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. This is where I want to live. So wrapping things up here, we've we've come to the conclusion of the purpose of Proverbs, walking through verses 1 through 7. We started off earlier with the questions from Job 28, but where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? Well, we find the answer in Job 28, 28, where it says, And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, it all has its foundation in the fear of the Lord. And there's a contrast here at the end of this purpose where it talks about the fool who despises wisdom and instruction. And we talked about at the beginning as well, how you know I want to approach Proverbs considering how did the original hearers receive and respond to Proverbs, and then take a good look at how I am responding to what I'm learning as I study this. So, with this in mind, Proverbs describes the response, the actions of primarily four different people or characters, however you want to look at it. You've got the wise we've met today. You've got the simple, we read about them today as well, the scorner, and then the fool is mentioned here at the end of this purpose in Proverbs. And we'll come to know about each of these, I think, as we progress our way through this book. But the point that I want to make here is that when one of these are mentioned, it also helps me consider the actions or their response. So even here in this introduction of Proverbs, in just seven verses, we're already beginning to see a picture of the actions and responses that a wise person would make. And then here at the end, we see that's in contrast to the response of the fool. And I don't want to be quick in my assumptions and automatically think I'm not a fool. That's not me. I'm not doing foolish things. But to really stop and consider is what I'm doing or are my habits aligning with the foolish action that's described here. In the case of this verse where the fool despises wisdom and instruction, are there areas in my life where I resist or despise that chastening or correction? I want to be sensitive enough to let the Lord deal with me, to step on my toes when needed, and help me to realize when my actions aren't aligning with wisdom. I need his help. And I think it's just that Proverbs can be a book that is full of help if we will we will take the time to approach it with that reflective read and look at some of these hard sayings that we may come across and think, all right, Lord, help me understand. Lord, teach me. So I don't know how long this episode is. I'm not looking at the timer, but I think we've covered quite a bit today. Hopefully my voice wasn't too bad. Um, but in the next episode, my plan is to pick up where we left off here. So starting with Proverbs 1.8 and see where that takes us. Uh but between now and then, there is a link in the description of this episode uh that links you to questions that align with this section of scripture that we talked about, and then also some of the things that were mentioned. So until next time, thank you so much again for listening and take some time to grow in the fear of the Lord.