Proverbial Thought
OK, when I say “my” book, it was my idea, but I’m just the editor and co-writer; I didn’t do all the work by myself. As a matter of fact, I had help from around the world. The full title of this voluminous work is Proverbial Thought: Your Daily Word of Wisdom from Proverbs. We couldn’t put everything into one book, or it would be entirely too large – and expensive. That’s why this book is the first of several volumes. At 318 pages, Volume One contains thoughts on chapters 1-10 of Proverbs. There’s 21 more chapters and a lot more detail to go!
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I am very proud of what we have accomplished. Below is the preface that explains how all this came about.
Preface
What you are about to read is a work that came together over a period of two years. It first started out with an idea placed on my heart, I believe, by the Holy Spirit. Then it proceeded to be something that I tossed around to others, asking for advice, picking their brains. Finally, what it ended up being was a collection of personal commentary on one of the most famous collections of wisdom known to man – the book of Proverbs.
When the Lord impressed me to start a blog called Proverbial Thought, it wasn’t because I had a lot of time on my hands. As a matter of fact, in February of 2012, besides being a husband and a dad with two daughters still at home and being homeschooled, I was a pastor who had decide to finish a long-pursued seminary degree. In other words, I had plenty to do. However, I kept feeling led to start a daily devotional/commentary.
Since 2009, I had been publishing a blog called The Recovering Legalist.com, which introduced me to other bloggers, such as David Welford in Herefordshire, UK. After some prayer, I contacted David and asked him what he thought of co-contributing to another blog dealing with Proverbs. His immediate response was positive, even suggesting others who might want to get involved, such as his son, Nick. Ultimately, I approached over twenty individuals around the world and in my own community; eight came on board.
By the way, it was very important, I believe, to gather contributors from around the world and from different walks of life. By doing so, instead of relying on the limited life experiences and from one culture, the wisdom of Proverbs could be approached from various perspectives, lending insight that might not be available to another. For example, in one post a writer from England describes the wisdom from a proverb in light of the Iron-age fortress in his back yard. Seriously!? How many people can address a subject from that perspective? Not me!
So, in March of 2012, I put together a Google document that contained a list of dates with a corresponding proverb. Those who agreed to contribute to Proverbial Thought were asked to periodically go to that online community list and write in their names beside the verses on which they wanted to comment. Sometimes the selection was purposeful based on our knowledge of a particular Bible verse. But for the most part, each one of us went to that master list and wrote in our names, never knowing what the subject matter was going to be about. That led to a lot of “God moments.”
Eventually, nearly two years and almost 700 entries later, the project that enlisted writers from the United States, Canada, and England was complete. However, along the way a lot of “life” happened. Some of that “life” can be read in the following daily entries; more than a few words are dotted with tears. God knew what He was doing when He led us to “arbitrarily” choose which proverbs we would write about. He knew what we would be going through at the time we sat down to a computer to write. So, in one sense, what you are about to read is spiritual journey, almost a diary, of what God wanted these contributors to learn, and to share, about true Wisdom. -Anthony C. Baker
Special Thanks!
I just want to thank David Welford, Daniel Klem, Jason Sneed, Chris Jordan, Rev. Ken Welford, Nick Welford, and Katie Marie for lending their “thoughts” over the last couple of years. Without their help this would not have been possible.
I would also like to thank Dr. David Myers for referring David Tullock at Parson’s Porch Books (a publisher who’s profits go to take care of the needy).
It is also necessary that I thank my wife and daughters. They are the ones who put up with me as I sat for many hours in front of a computer screen. Maybe all this was worth it.
Last, but not least, I must thank my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the Wisdom that confounds the foolishness of men, and on Whom I totally rely (1 Cor. 1:23-25).
The Recovering Legalist 