Proverbs in 31 DaysSample

This proverb is unique in that it was written by someone we hear nothing else about in Scripture. While we don’t know who Agur, son of Jakeh, is, we do know from what He says in verse 1 that these words ultimately come from God. The wisdom that Agur shares in this chapter fits with the flow of Proverbs because these verses are marked by humility. Proverbs 1 starts by saying that all of us should live with the assumption that we are lacking in wisdom and need to be instructed. If we don’t first fear God, we won’t ever become wise. This is also how Agur starts Proverbs 30. He writes, “I have not learned wisdom” (v. 3) and then compares that two verses later with “Every word of God is flawless” (v. 5). In essence what He is trying to say is, “Don’t listen to me! I don’t have the wisdom you are after. But God is the source of all wisdom and He is the One you should desire”.

Agur spends much of the rest of the chapter observing and calling us to observe with Him different parts of creation that fascinate Him. He writes lists of things that are wise but small, large and powerful, and too much for Him to understand. He does this to help us fall in awe of who God is. He has created a world that is mighty and mysterious but is ultimately His. This type of writing echoes the end of Job, where God displays all that He has made to help us understand that He is God and we are not.

This chapter should remind us of who we are in the story of God. We are not the kings and queens of our universe, but instead are fully subject to the Creator of it all. Keeping ourselves in a place of dependence is essential to the right way of living. This is why Agur asks God not to make Him rich (v. 8) because it might give Him a false sense of security. The wise are those who first have the humility to admit they are not the source of all wisdom. Instead, they daily live in awe of the One who created us, sustains us, and loves us.