Your Key to Success
J. Carl Laney
I wanted to read this book because I am teaching on biblical wisdom from the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and chains. I was interested to see what this book would describe and how it could help me grow in wisdom as well as those who sit under my teaching.
Laney begins by talking about success. What is true success and how do we get it? He introduces the wisdom teachings of the Bible as the right way to get success God’s way. In chapter 1, he defines wisdom and explains what it is. He gives Solomon as a chief example. He also describes how to get wisdom and who it comes from. He finishes the chapter by talking about the benefits of wisdom.
In chapter 2, the author talks about what to do when bad things happen. He starts with the biblical book of Job and he gives a summary of the book. I found his characterization of Job’s friends very helpful to understanding the book better. He surveys with the rest of the Bible has to say about suffering.
Chapter 3 discusses the book of Ecclesiastes in view of coping with life’s frustrations. He gives a rundown of the book and helps you understand why Solomon wrote it. It answers the question of how we should live life and why we should do what we do.
In chapter 4, the author talks about the Song of Solomon as maintaining sexual purity. He describes everything the Song of Solomon covers and how it helps us to be wise in sexual purity. He describes a promiscuous person according to the biblical wisdom book.
Chapter 5 is about having success at work. He gathers wisdom from all the wisdom writers to cover this topic. He gives hopeful counsel from wisdom literature on how to deal with work in such ways that it honors God and feels worthwhile and even enjoyable to us.
In chapter 6, Laney discusses money management from the wisdom literature. Solomon found that only by in skill, knowledge, and wisdom in each area of your life was more valuable than wealth. He gives wise counsel for those who struggle with financial entanglements.
Chapter 7 concerns building a lasting marriage and presents the wisdom literature that presents the topic of marriage. He gives ten ingredients to a successful marriage. The next chapter dives further into the topic of loving your spouse sexually. He further unpacks the Song of Solomon.
Laney goes on in the next chapter to talk about the challenges of parenting. Proverbs gives parents the priority of training their children in godliness. The biblical view of childbirth and children is different than the world. He discusses what wisdom literature has to say about raising children and discipline.
Next, the author talks about worship from the point of view of the biblical wisdom literature. Christians don’t often realize the wide with each of worship available to them. He defines worship from the biblical standpoint. He further gives ways to worship from the Psalms.
Chapter 11 describes how Proverbs 31 talks about the successful woman. He talks about this woman from the spiritual life, career that develops her skills, her family life, sharing in life with her husband, her life as a mother, and further discusses women and careers.
In chapter 12, the author discusses the successful man. From Proverbs, he describes what God expects of men and how they can be wise. I appreciated his illustrations and stories that show what a godly and successful man looks like. He concludes the book by challenging you to unlock your future with biblical wisdom. He also provides a summary of the biblical wisdom books and each chapter where he describes them.
I like how Laney uses good illustrations and stories that keep you connected to the teaching about wisdom and biblical wisdom. He also has very helpful discussion and review questions at the end of each chapter. I also like that he connects these Old Testament wisdom books to the New Testament. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for the key to success God’s way – biblical wisdom. Laney gives an excellent exposition of biblical wisdom and how it applies to our lives. Anyone who needs to hear how God expects them to live would benefit from reading this book.
