Proverbs 22:19-21 (ESV)
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
Although the Proverbs instruct the hearer to walk along the path of righteousness, their primary function is to lead the willing to repentance and faith in God and his Son, Jesus. This advice continues the first of the thirty sayings, which reveal that the father is not random in the advice he imparts, but instead, he has a specific block of instruction available for his son,possibly mirroring an esteemed document of ancient Egyptian wisdom. After learning the wisdom afforded him, the son can give reliable responses to those who ask. In the same way, God has disclosed specific information to us through his word, commanding all to hear and apply his truth. Do you seek the wisdom God has revealed? When you hear the word of the Lord, do you believe it enough to put it into practice? Or do you only obey the parts that seem right to you? Do you believe in God, or yourself?