Proverbs One - Choose Wisdom Before Consequences Choose You!

Proverbs 1: Before the Page Became a Tumbler

If you've ever been around Christianity for more than five minutes, you've probably heard someone say, "The Bible says..." followed by a verse that somehow perfectly supports whatever point they were trying to make. Sound familiar?

That's actually one of the reasons this little project was born.

As I've mentioned before, this old Bible has seen better days. It's falling apart, a little weathered, and judging by a few suspicious-looking marks, I think a kitten from years ago may have helped "edit" a few pages. Most people would probably toss it in the trash and buy a new one. Instead, I decided to give it another purpose.

My goal here isn't to tell anyone what to believe. It isn't to argue theology or prove who's right. It's simply to understand the context before turning these pages into art. If I'm going to preserve Scripture in a different form, I feel like I owe it the respect of reading it first.

So naturally, Proverbs felt like a fitting place to begin.

The first chapter wastes absolutely no time getting to the point. It's less about memorizing rules and more like receiving advice from someone who's already made enough mistakes to know how easily life can go sideways. Think of it as a parent sitting you down and saying, "Listen... I know this looks like a good idea right now, but trust me."

One verse, in particular, stood out to me:

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..."
 Proverbs 1:7

Now, I'll be honest. Growing up, that word fear always made me picture a God who wanted people to be scared of Him. But after reading the chapter in context, that's not what I walked away with at all.

To me, it's less about living in terror and more about recognizing that maybe, just maybe, we don't actually have all the answers. It's humility. It's admitting that wisdom starts when we stop assuming we already know everything.

The rest of the chapter feels surprisingly modern.

It warns about following the crowd simply because everyone else is doing it. It talks about people making bad decisions because they promise quick rewards without mentioning the consequences. Tell me that doesn't sound like half the internet some days.

Whether it's gossip, scams, toxic relationships, chasing money at any cost, or getting caught up in drama for entertainment, the message is the same: not every invitation deserves a "yes."

Then there's my favorite image in the entire chapter.

Wisdom isn't hidden away for scholars or pastors to discover. She's standing in the busiest streets, practically waving her arms, calling out to anyone willing to listen. Wisdom isn't playing hard to get, we're usually just too distracted to pay attention.

And that's probably the biggest takeaway I found in Proverbs 1.

God's wisdom is always available. The question is whether we'll listen before experience has to teach us the lesson the hard way.

If I had to summarize this entire chapter into one sentence worthy of a tumbler, it'd be this:

Choose wisdom before consequences choose you.

Simple. Honest. And, if we're being real, probably something every one of us could use as a reminder from time to time.

That's exactly what I hope this series becomes, not a Bible study, not a sermon, and definitely not me pretending to have all the answers. Just one curious creator reading the pages before turning them into something beautiful, asking questions, learning along the way, and inviting anyone who wants to come along for the ride.