It doesn’t seem possible that a book written more than three thousand years ago would be helpful today. This is one of the surprises modern readers find when they come across books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Most of us find ourselves saying, “The Bible talks about that?” Look to the wisdom books of the Bible and you’ll find universal, profound insights into the following subjects:

Anger: He who is slow to anger quiets contention. (Proverbs 15:18)

Corruption: A bribe corrupts the heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:7)

Apathy: The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (Proverbs 29:7)

Co-signing loans: He who puts up security for another will surely suffer. (Proverbs 11:15)

Parenting: Discipline your son and he will bring you peace. (Proverbs 29:17)

Work Ethic: Lazy hands make a man poor but diligent hands bring wealth. (Proverbs 10:4)

Happy marriage: Enjoy life with the wife whom you love. (Ecclesiastes 9:9)

Alcohol: Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1)

The Bible has answers for the questions people ask every day. Yes, we find plenty of lofty, spiritual, truth in its pages — truths that assure us of God’s amazing promises. But so much of its draw lies in the fact that it deals with real life problems and solutions.

Maybe you have come to think about the Bible as a dusty artifact from a time and place too unlike our world to be relevant. Maybe you’ve bought into the idea that Christians and their holy book are more concerned about the next life than the one we toil through here on this planet. If you are skeptical about the Bible’s ability to address today’s situation, I recommend that you pick it up again. Dust it off and you’ll see that the God who made this place understands what human life is all about. He had it written down back then … but it is still real wisdom for real life today.