Family Studies
Principles from Proverbs to be Taught Youth - Part 2
Series: Training a Child (Lessons from Proverbs)Introduction:
1. We all know that we have a special responsibility for the spiritual training of our children. 2. Indeed, it may be the most important responsibility that we have. It is up to us to train the next generation to serve the Lord. One untaught generation breaks the continuity and like a chain with one broken link the connection with the Lord may be broken for all time to come. 3. We may not think a lot about the exact principles that we should teach. 4. Perhaps we simply assume that what we received from our parents we will almost inadvertently pass on.a. Some degree of truth in this.
b. But what if our parents omitted something that the Lord would have taught? What if our parents were not Christians?
c. It will do us good to go back to the source and make sure our family curriculum comes not just by way of our parents and grand-parents but by way of our heavenly Father.
5. And so, we are searching through Proverbs looking for the principles that God would have us teach.Discussion:
I. We need to teach our young people to practice justice and to be a people of integrity.A. Prov. 11:1 says, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.”
1. Don’t be a cheat.
2. There will be people that you can take advantage of. The devil will see to it that you have opportunity to do others wrong.
3. There will be opportunities in business and personal finances for you to gain through falsehood and deceit.
4. Your pride will prompt you to lift yourself above another (Prov. 11:2).
5. Let integrity be your guiding principle (Prov. 11:3).
6. The contrast in Prov. 11:1-8.
a. The wicked—abomination to the Lord, dishonor, destruction, wrath, fall by own wickedness, caught in greed.
b. The righteousness—delights the Lord, wisdom, deliverance from death, smooth way, deliverance from trouble.
B. Prov. 16:8 says, “Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.”
1. “A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; all the weights of the bag are His concern” (16:11).
2. “It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness” (16:12).
C. “A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice” (17:23; cf. 15:27).
D. “Differing weights and differing measures, both of them are abominable to the Lord. It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself, if his conduct is pure and right” (20:10-11).
E. Not only do you have a responsibility to practice justice, you have a responsibility to defend others against injustice (31:8-9).
II. We need to teach young people to be kind rather than cruel (Prov. 11:17).A. Young people can be very cruel to one another. Perhaps it is a result of how they have been treated. When you are treated cruel you may respond with cruelty. Young people use their tongues to put each other down. They may bully each other. Group together and gain up on one who is vulnerable. Create ways to embarrass.
B. “What is desirable in a man is his kindness (loyalty)” (19:22).
C. Prov. 3:1-4. Favor and good repute result from kindness and truth.
D. The teaching of kindness is on the tongue of the woman in Prov. 31:26.
E. Of the three things God requires kindness is one: to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).
F. Our tongues are to be used to sooth rather than to crush the spirit (15:1, 4).
III. We need to teach our young people to be generous rather than greedy (Prov. 11:24-26).A. This will exhibit itself in generosity toward the Lord (Prov. 3:9) and His people (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:1-5).
B. “He who steals must steal no longer, but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need” (Eph. 4:28).
C. Suggestions: Let you children experience your giving. First day of the week contribution. Teach. Make sure they have something to contribute and that they know what it is going to be used for. When you help someone let them go along. Jim and Maddy to take blankets to the homeless. Give blood. Volunteer your time. When you take food to a needy family take them along.
D. If you don’t know of any opportunities to do anything like this ask one of the public school teachers among us about opportunities. You don’t have to wait for a national disaster publicized on the 6 p.m. news for a week.
Conclusion:
1. Practice justice and be a people of integrity. 2. Be kind rather than cruel. 3. Be generous rather than greedy.
