An easy-to-read manual that helps us through the tricky times of parenting, dating or job interviews.

Proverbs 19:1-29

Reference:  v.16 He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  There are many hilarious moments happening the world over as people try to construct things without reading the instructions.  Ikea has multiplied these occurrences as it sells thousands of pieces of household furniture that need to be put together in the home.  How hard can it be, right?  Well, many people find they spend hours trying to construct something from their own understanding only to discover an important piece was forgotten near the beginning and so they almost have to start from scratch again.  Reading the instructions can often seem like a waste of time but it can save many hours and a great deal of frustration.

Application:  I often hear people say that it would be nice to have an instruction manual for life.  An easy-to-read manual that helps us through the tricky times of parenting, dating or job interviews.  And yet, if we had it, would we read it?  Millions of people have the Bible in their home somewhere and yet very rarely pick it up to read it and gain instruction from it.  Proverbs is filled with many pearls of wisdom that we can implement in our lives and yet so few people are delving in to it's instruction.  The Bible is a book that we don't just read through once and receive all the instruction that we need but a guide that we can keep dipping in to that gives us a better understanding of God therefore a greater understanding of who we were created to be.  It's the closest thing we have to an instruction manual for life.  Pick it up and start reading, it could save years of wasted time and frustration.

Prayer:  Lord, Your Word opens our eyes to the life you would have us lead.  It may not give us a step-by-step pictorial example but it teaches us how to love You and love others.  May we open it up to receive from You each day.  Amen.

What 'instructions for life' from the Bible are helpful for you?