A 31-Day Proverbs Reading Plan for Business Owners

If you want a Scripture habit that speaks directly to running a business, Proverbs is a natural place to start. It has 31 chapters, so many people read the chapter that matches the day of the month. And it returns again and again to themes every owner faces: honesty, diligence, money, counsel, speech, pride and how to treat people.

The book sets its foundation in its first chapter: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7, KJV). Practical wisdom for work begins with reverence for God.

How to use this plan

Each day, read one chapter. Then look at the business lens below and ask yourself one question: "What is one thing from this chapter I can apply today?" Write your answer in a notebook or app. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes.

A few notes:

• Proverbs are wise sayings that describe how life generally works. They are not promises that guarantee specific outcomes.
• Some chapters, especially in the early part of the book, address topics beyond business, such as marriage and temptation. Read them as wisdom for your whole life, which your business is part of.
• If you miss a day, simply read today's chapter and keep going.

Days 1 to 10

1. Chapter 1: Wisdom begins with reverence for God. The warning against joining people who seek quick gain by harming others applies to any scheme that looks profitable but is wrong.
2. Chapter 2: Seek wisdom like hidden treasure. What would it look like to pursue wisdom as eagerly as revenue?
3. Chapter 3: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, honor him with what you have, and do not withhold good from those it is due, such as vendors and employees.
4. Chapter 4: Guard your heart and ponder the path of your feet. Focus is a form of wisdom.
5. Chapter 5: A warning about unfaithfulness. Faithfulness in marriage protects your family, your reputation and your work.
6. Chapter 6: Be cautious about guaranteeing other people's debts, learn from the diligent ant, and note the things the Lord hates, including a lying tongue and sowing discord.
7. Chapter 7: Temptation often arrives at predictable times and places. Plan your boundaries ahead.
8. Chapter 8: Wisdom is worth more than rubies. Where are you investing in wisdom, not just tools?
9. Chapter 9: Teach a wise person, and they will become wiser. Are you teachable?
10. Chapter 10: Diligence, honest speech and walking uprightly. Notice how often the chapter mentions words.

Days 11 to 20

11. Chapter 11: A false balance versus a just weight. Review your pricing and invoices for honesty. Safety comes with many counselors.
12. Chapter 12: Lying lips versus those who deal truly. The fool is right in his own eyes; the wise listen to counsel.
13. Chapter 13: Wealth gained hastily or dishonestly dwindles, while steady work builds. Walk with the wise.
14. Chapter 14: In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads to poverty. The simple believe everything; the prudent consider their steps.
15. Chapter 15: A soft answer turns away wrath. Plans succeed with counsel. Better a little with reverence for God than great treasure with trouble.
16. Chapter 16: Commit your work to the Lord. Honest weights belong to him. Pride goes before destruction.
17. Chapter 17: Peace is better than plenty with strife. A friend loves at all times. A cheerful heart is good medicine.
18. Chapter 18: Listen before answering. Laziness is close kin to wastefulness.
19. Chapter 19: Haste leads to mistakes. Many plans are in a person's heart, but the Lord's purpose stands.
20. Chapter 20: Unequal weights are hated by God. Notice the buyer who complains about a price and then boasts of the deal. Honesty matters on both sides of a sale.

Days 21 to 31

21. Chapter 21: Diligent planning leads to plenty; haste leads to want. The wise store up for the future.
22. Chapter 22: A good name is better than riches. The borrower is servant to the lender. Do not move ancient boundary stones, a call to respect what belongs to others.
23. Chapter 23: Do not wear yourself out to get rich; riches can fly away like an eagle. Do not envy those who do wrong.
24. Chapter 24: By wisdom a house is built. Prepare your work before building your house. The righteous fall and rise again.
25. Chapter 25: A word fitly spoken is beautiful. Boasting of gifts you do not give is like clouds without rain. Self-control protects like a city wall.
26. Chapter 26: Without a gossip, quarrels die down. What conversations at work need less fuel?
27. Chapter 27: Do not boast about tomorrow. Let others praise you. Iron sharpens iron. Know the state of your flocks.
28. Chapter 28: Whoever conceals sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them finds mercy. Beware the rush to get rich.
29. Chapter 29: Without vision, people cast off restraint. The fear of man is a snare; trust in the Lord brings safety.
30. Chapter 30: A prayer for neither poverty nor riches, and lessons from small creatures that are exceedingly wise.
31. Chapter 31: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and consider the portrait of a capable woman who works, plans and gives generously.

Tools that make the habit easier

A reading plan works best when it is easy to keep. JustAllowGod is a free Bible study platform with reading plans and streak tracking, the ability to compare translations side by side and Strong's Concordance for looking up original Hebrew words. Its free mobile apps include daily verse reminders.

Keep going after the first month

When you finish, start again next month. Many people read through Proverbs month after month and find that different verses stand out as their circumstances change. You might also invite your team or a group of fellow owners to read along and share one insight each week. If you want to build reading into a busy day, see building prayer into a workday with no margin, and for a bigger picture of how faith shapes everyday work, read work as worship.