The Bible isn’t like other books. It isn’t designed to be read once. It is designed to be read repeatedly. The words of the Bible are spirit and life. They are food for our spirit: food that causes us to grow spiritually and through our spirit provides health to our bodies. Just as we would not eat one meal and never eat again, we shouldn’t read the scripture once. We should feed the Word of God into our hearts continually: just like we eat food for our bodies.
The words which I have said to you are spirit and they are life. (John 6:63)
Be as nursing infants, and yearn for the word as for pure and spiritual milk by which you shall grow strong for life. (1 Peter 2:2)
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Like eating without exercise, only hearing or reading the Word of God will produce little growth. Real growth comes when we follow the instructions and submit to the correction of the Word: when we do what the Word says to do.
Just like we get different benefits from different foods, we get different benefits from different parts of the Word of God. From one part we grow in knowledge of sin and righteousness, judgment and salvation, love and redemption. From another part we grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, faith, and fear of the Lord. Part of sowing the Word of God into our hearts is asking God to guide us to what scripture we need to sow.
Jesus describes the Word producing growth the same way seed produces fruit when sown in a field.
If the Word of God isn’t properly digested (understood), then, like the seed by the wayside, it is taken away immediately and produces no growth.
Like some foods, some may enjoy the Word of God, but later experience some discomfort. Rather than searching out the source of the discomfort and overcoming it, many of those people quit sowing the Word into their hearts.
Parasites may enter the heart of some and choke the Word so it produces less growth than it needs to produce. Sowing the Word of God here requires that the parasites be plucked up by the roots and cast into the sea. Only then can the Word produce the growth needed.
Therefore, put away from you all wickedness, all treachery, partiality, envy and slander, and be as nursing infants, and yearn for the word as for pure and spiritual milk by which you shall grow strong for life. (1 Peter 2:2)
Sowing the word of the book of Proverbs is an essential part of our spiritual diet. Consider the growth it produces.
discipline (Proverbs 1:2)
wisdom (Proverbs 1:2)
understanding (Proverbs 1:2)
understanding words of the wise (Proverbs 1:2)
successful lives (Proverbs 1:3)
doing what is right, just, and fair (Proverbs 1:3)
insight (Proverbs 1:4)
knowledge (Proverbs 1:4)
perception and discernment (Proverbs 1:4)
discretion (Proverbs 1:4)
hearing (God, words of truth) (Proverbs 1:5)
learning (Proverbs 1:5)
direction (guidance) (Proverbs 1:5)
receiving correction (Proverbs 1:30)
freedom from fear (Proverbs 1:33)
peace (Proverbs 3:2)
faith (Proverbs 22:19)
A diet high in Proverbs also provides many material benefits, such as:
God directing your paths (Proverbs 3:6)
long life (Proverbs 3:2)
health (Proverbs 3:8)
prosperity (Proverbs 3:10)
Adding the ministry of the Spirit of truth increases the growth produced by the Word of God.
Putting on the armor of God helps protect the Word of God as we sow it into our hearts. This helps it produce the growth we need too.