Is Proverbs yet another “How to succeed in life” book ?
If you take the book of Proverbs as a whole you will see that it teaches a lifestyle which depends on a healthy respect for God, which affects every aspect of life. It even admits that this choice will not be made by many ; that it is easier to live carelessly and godlessly ; but ultimately those who do follow the advice and trust in God will not only negociate life successfully and in moral safety but will get to know God Himself ( Proverbs 2:5). There is ample evidence that both Jesus and Peter the apostle loved the book of Proverbs and made many direct and indirect references to it in parables and pictures etc and adopted its teaching. Proverbs is not a pragmatic, “what works is right”, secular wisdom. The book defines bad characters that we should avoid copying or being identified with ! Three kinds of problem people : the simple, the fools, the mockers Prov.1:22 The “simple” (relatively harmless to us) : they live without thinking of the consequences, are too lazy to change, and a
