A Proverbs Driven Life: Timeless Wisdom for Your Words, Work, Wealth, and Relationships [Paperback]

Anthony Selvaggio (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

This is a book about the wisdom God has given us in the book of Proverbs. By this wisdom, we can learn how to live in light of what is really true about ourselves, one another, and this wonderful yet deeply flawed world. Ultimately, therefore, this is a book about life lived for God in the light of divine truth. It's about life as God intends for us to live it. Proverbs does offer an infallible guarantee that a Proverbs-driven life will result in spiritual and practical blessings. But it is vitally important to remember that the goal of Proverbs is not finding earthly prosperity or even wisdom itself. The goal of Proverbs is to grow ever closer to the God who is Wisdom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a sign of springtime in what is largely a neglected section of the Scriptures with a promise, for those who read this volume, of a great harvest to come in practical Christian living. With advice on such topics as work and wealth, courtship and children, Selvaggio has given us a valuable treasure of practical wisdom. Just what Solomon intended." -- Derek Thomas, John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 201 pages
• Publisher: Shepherd Press (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0981540058
• ISBN-13: 978-0981540054
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book about Wisdom, a book about life..., April 11, 2009

By 

D. Magnuson "Psalms1-150" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Proverbs Driven Life: Timeless Wisdom for Your Words, Work, Wealth, and Relationships (Paperback)

Anthony T. Selvaggio (J.D., M.Div)has written another excellent book! A Proverbs Driven Life is about knowing the wisdom of God revealed in the book of Proverbs and living it practically in the world. All wisdom points to Christ. Proverbs come alive in the sections of this book which include: Foundations-"wise living and wise speech [are]essential and inseparable", Work-"faithful work ethic and faithful ethics at work", Wealth-"the place and purpose of material wealth," Friends-"friendship is intended to be redemptive," Marriage-"the most significant of relationships-guard it jealously," Children-"accept the calling to raise children as a task delegated and directed by God." Thorough research, easy readability, and clear focus make this book a gem.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Principles, not Laws. A Helpful Overview, June 6, 2010

By 

jarbitro (Sun Valley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Proverbs Driven Life: Timeless Wisdom for Your Words, Work, Wealth, and Relationships (Paperback)

There are many books that offer a survey of proverbial wisdom, but what makes A Proverbs Driven Life different is the balance it seeks to maintain. Anthony Selvaggio maintains that every biblical principle has a balance to it--i.e. don't be lazy, but also don't be a work-a-holic, or don't have ungodly friends, but also don't neglect friendships with non-believers. Selvaggio draws out those principles from Proverbs, and illustrates them with examples from the rest of Scripture.

The book breaks down Proverbs into categories: work, money, friends, marriage, and parenting. Inside each of those categories, Selvaggio draws out several principles and then their balancing principles, and then illustrates them. What I enjoyed about this book is that he had no problem going outside of Proverbs for his illustrations, or even some of his principles. Most of his illustrations were very helpful (David with sexual sin, Jesus with befriending non-believers, Jacob for integrity, etc.), although a few stood out as being ill-conceived--for example, is using a rated R movie as an illustration about greed really wise or even necessary in a book on biblical wisdom?

There are very helpful observations in A Proverbs Driven Life. Selvaggio sees proverbs "as a book of wisdom, not laws," so he (rightly, I think) sees the individual Proverbs as warnings, but not requirements. His book is filled with examples of the implications of this understanding, which frankly is an encouraging break for the way much of evangelicalism seems to wrongly apply Proverbs. He also often connects his principles to evangelism, and to the gospel ("arc of redemption," he calls it). He has good insight into understanding a person's calling in life, as well as how the OT sacrifices were actually economic principles--after all, think of the financial cost involved in giving a cow or an animal to the temple.

This is thankfully not a thorough cataloging of all of Proverbs. He is selective, and will often even go outside of the book to draw his principles. Thus, this really is more of a book on parenting, work, finances, etc., than it is on Proverbs per se. But if Proverbs is seen as a collection of wisdom, then this really is the best way to approach a biblical application of the principles in Proverbs. In other words, a verse by verse exegesis of Proverbs would probably miss the point.

In this way, A Proverbs Driven Life reminds me of Richard Mayhue's Practicing Proverbs. The two are very similar, but what gives Selvaggio's book the edge is his clear understanding and application of the principlistic nature of the material. This is certainly one of the more helpful books on the basic principles of Proverbs that I have read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, September 15, 2009

By 

C. Reed (Topeka, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Proverbs Driven Life: Timeless Wisdom for Your Words, Work, Wealth, and Relationships (Paperback)

Went through this book in morning classes at my church. Provoked great discussion on how Christians should live their lives. I also bought this for one of my friends. Would make a great gift.