A 30 Day Bible Reading Challenge

Recently a friend pointed me to Matt Cutts’ TED Talk “Try Something New for 30 Days.” Cutts got the idea from Morgan Spurlock and determined to try something new every month. One month he took an interesting pictures every day and another he worked every day towards writing a 50,000 word novel. (That’s one thousand, six hundred, and sixty-seven words a day.) He explains that by implementing small, incremental changes for thirty days you can develop a new habit naturally.

Watching this video reminded me of a challenge I was given as a new Christian to read through the book of Proverbs each month. Since Proverbs has thirty-one chapters, you can read one chapter a day and make it through the book in a month. Yes, there are several months where you will read two chapters on the last day of the month and four on the last day of February.

David’s son Solomon wrote the majority of Proverbs as advice to his son for living wisely. He wanted his son “to know wisdom and instruction, to receive words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity.” The first nine chapters contain Solomon’s argument for the beauty and desirability of wisdom instead of folly. They serve as the argument for hearing the words in the rest of the book. The remainder of Proverbs are the short snippets we normally think of when we hear of Proverbs. He offers practical advice and godly wisdom for nearly every facet of life. I have never read a chapter of Proverbs without one of these short statements sticking with me for the rest of the day.

When you look at our world and our own lives you recognize how badly we need wisdom. My encouragement and challenge to you this month is to read the entire book of Proverbs. Don’t just read it quickly to check it off of your list. Read each chapter with a pen or pencil in your hand. Underline verses in your Bible as they strike you and jot down questions and thoughts in a journal. Genuinely interact with what Solomon says. Then take one or two lines that struck you and let them start your prayers for that morning. Maybe you need to pray for help in a particular area, repent of sin, or rejoice over places in your life where the Lord has grown you. Think of the verse or verses you prayed through throughout the day. Take this month and really get to know Proverbs, praying God will use it to grow you in wisdom.

For Further Reading:
A Proverbs Driven Life by Anthony Selvaggio