Proverbs.

"We are only young once. That is all society can stand."

-Bob Bowen

"Young people simply have responded to propaganda--and part of the propaganda, including that of the advertisements, is that youth is better than age. So they conclude that 17-year-olds naturally are wiser than their fathers and mothers. They really believe this . . . [but] they'll get over it. The wonderful thing about cockiness is that it can be overcome by a little maturity."

-D. Elton Trueblood

"God often entrusts youth with his greatest challenges because he knows they'll just do it while adults will form committees, elect leaders, meet for months, and miss the challenges altogether."

-Barry

"These proverbs will make the simple-minded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people."

-Proverbs 1:4 NLT

Proverbs is still one of my favorite books of the Bible, probably because my attention span is so short. Each chapter of Proverbs has a trail of mini-messages that can be digested in seconds or, time permitting, savored for hours. Proverbs contains messages of wisdom, knowledge, and common sense that cover everything from lending money to raising kids. You name it, Proverbs will guide you through it. That's the purpose of the Bible and Proverbs is no exception.

"The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will make the simple-minded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people.

"Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.

"Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline" (Proverbs 1:2-7).

Talk about a gold mine! Proverbs is loaded with all the right stuff to take us through a lifetime of wise choices. And it's all right there in those thirty-one chapters, 915 verses, of Proverbs . . . "Life for Dummies."

Look at the benefits for those who really apply Proverbs to their lives:

1. Proverbs teach us wisdom and discipline! Wisdom is seeing things from God's point of view and discipline is the training of people to obey rules--God's rules. Proverbs provides us with a win-win situation. Who wouldn't want that!

2. Proverbs helps us understand wisdom. I've heard it said that, "Hindsight is always 20/20." Not always. I've seen many folks repeat dumb stuff over and over. Proverbs is always 20/20! The little billboards in this book will help us understand the common sense of God. As we read and apply these little bits of truth we'll understand that they do work. We may not understand why all the time but we will understand that God does what he says he will do.

3. Proverbs teaches us to receive instruction. Not everybody is good at receiving instruction. Jesus outlined that when he did his little but powerful parable on firm foundations (Matthew 7:24-27).

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock" (verse 24).

"Anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand" (verse 26).

There are two key words in those verses: listen and hear. There's a difference. Listening involves receiving, taking God's Word into our hearts, and obeying them.

4. Proverbs makes the simple-minded clever! There is hope for all of us. I've never met anyone who ever said, "My purpose in life is to be dumb." Sometimes we may feel like we're dumb but we don't have to be. Proverbs will make the simple smart!

5. Proverbs will give knowledge and purpose to youth. Every teenager (adults too) should read through Proverbs once a month. That would be twelve times a year (do the math). If our kids and grandkids would do this faithfully, the wisdom of God would soon take root in their hearts and lives, resulting in years of wise choices. If teenagers would do this consistently for the seven teenage years (sometimes known as The Tribulation Period), they would read through Proverbs eighty-four times! I would think, by then, Proverbs would begin to sink in and start making changes. It's worth the try.

Teenagers are the leaders of the church of tomorrow but let's not forget they are also leaders of the church today. Proverbs provides wisdom, knowledge, and purpose for all of us. Let's get God's wisdom in our lives.

Listen!