I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 22-24.

Today’s passage contains the end of the section of single verse proverbs before changing over to a different format, almost as if the next section was written by a different writer.  Before I touch on the proverbs from the section ending (and some from the new section), I want to talk about an important piece of advice the new section begins with.   The writer advises us listen to the words of the wise and apply ourselves to instruction.  We should keep these sayings in our hearts and ready on our lips.  This advice applies not just to the proverbs, but to verses from the entire Bible.  We should seek to memorize many aspects of the Bible.  I was reminded of this the other night when the verse, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” was what a friend needed to hear.  It was not that they did not know it, rather my saying it was an affirmation of their belief that it applied to the situation.

I could go on and on about these proverbs, but I want to focus on just a few today.  The writer tells us that humility and fear of the Lord leads to wealth.  An important aspect of that humility comes from the knowledge that no matter what divides us, no matter what you might think makes you better (or worse) than another, all of us have one thing in common: the Lord made us.  If you think you are worth more than others, you need to remember that they were important enough to God for Him to send His Son to dies on the cross.  If you think you are worth less than others, remember, God made you for a purpose, for His purpose, and that purpose is important to Him.  Finally, when you think about that wealth, remember that God does not value things the same way humans normally do and we should strive to learn to value what God values.  The writer tells us that the generous will be blessed, and that blessing is that they have helped others.  Feeding the poor does not cause us to receive blessings, rather doing so is a blessing in and of itself