Let’s again hone in on Proverbs chapter 4 as we continue to focus on this season’s GEMS theme, Get Wisdom: Go beyond the Gold!
PASSING ON LIFE LEARNING
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-27
In Bible times when people headed out on a long journey by foot they choose a traveling companion that would look out for them and a well-traveled path that would keep them safe. They fixed their eyes on their destination and their feet toward the goal. The same holds true on the faith journey which parents, grandparents, GEMS counselors, and every member of the body of Christ takes with children.
Be a traveling companion that passes on wisdom. In Proverbs 4 Solomon instructs his son to pay attention and gain understanding (Proverbs 4:1a). He then points to the learning that he received as a child. When I was a boy in my father’s house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, he taught me and said, “Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live” (Proverbs 4:3-4). From generation to generation we must pass on the baton of faith by guiding children in the way of wisdom and leading them along straight paths (Proverbs 4:11). What children are you intentionally mentoring right now? Will you grab hold of the opportunity to guide more?
Choose level paths. Safe and level paths protect us from bad choices that almost always come with painful consequences. The safety of firm paths doesn’t guarantee that we’ll never be bruised and battered by hardships. A Proverbs commentator wrote, “Wise living does not bring about the good life. Rather, it keeps one from getting lost. It points out the folly of choosing evil as though it were some path to gain and instead reveals it for what it is, a true loss of life and character.”
Let go. There is a time and season to walk this faith journey hand in hand with children within our home and in our clubs, knowing there will be a time and season when they set out on their own path and are fully responsible for the decisions they make. When they leave the nest or our clubs encourage them to keep God’s word and wisdom in their sight and within their heart (Proverbs 4:21). Remind them of their responsibility to choose well and wisely. In the same way that Paul cheered on Timothy, encourage them to pass on the life learning they’ve received! “Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (2 Timothy 2:1-2, NLT).
Wisdom Step: Be intentional each time your path intersects with children. Pass on His wisdom to a child today.
Discipleship is like the generation gap between parents and children: We often tell kids to grow up. They can’t grow up. They need mentoring. They can’t grow up because they’ve never been there before. We as parents [and mentors] have been there. The goal is not for them to grow up but for us to become like them and show them how. That’s what Jesus did. He became like them to show them how.
Dan Riemenschneider
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