Our Wise Friends: Engaging with the Wisdom Literature of the Bible

In this series we are going to be discussing some of the books of the Bible that we call “Wisdom Literature.” These are books that we might reference, but often don’t spend enough time digging into. Before we spend time in these texts, it is helpful for us to define what wisdom is exactly and how it is different than knowledge.

In this study, we’re going to consider the wisdom from Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. It might be helpful to think of each of these books as different friends that help you to navigate and cope with life.

Session One: What is Wisdom?

This session will introduce what wisdom is and why the books of wisdom are helpful to young people.

Session Two: Proverbs

We’ll consider Proverbs to be a young, optimistic friend who tends to believe that if you apply wisdom to everyday life, you’re bound to have success.

Session Three: Job

We’ll consider Job to be the voice of an older, seasoned friend or relative. Job is that friend who has learned through experience to trust in the Lord, even through the darkest of times.

Session Four: Ecclesiastes

We’ll consider Ecclesiastes to be a worldly cynic, who sees through the bologna in life and isn’t afraid to call a thing what it is.

To download the Leader’s Guide of this study, click here.

To download the Participant’s Guide of this study, click here.

There are four devotions which go alongside this study, the devotions are linked below.

About the author

Ben Meyer is a husband, father, pastor and child of God. He has served as a pastor in Missouri, Illinois, and now at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunbury, Ohio and has presented at the Rural and Small Towns Missions national conference. He enjoys sports, fishing, hiking, reading, and spending time with his family.
View more from Ben

Related Resources

Joy – An Advent Devotion

Joy – An Advent Devotion

This devotion highlights joy in the second week of Advent. Middle Schoolers can think of how we can have joy regardless of circumstances.
Job: Our Wise Friends Devotion

Job: Our Wise Friends Devotion

Job understood what it meant to suffer. The wisdom provided in the book of Job helps us to understand God's presence in struggle.

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