Amidst all the bodily changes of teenagehood they are then confronted with many decisions: which career? take drugs? have sex? study hard? eat well?

Proverbs 2:1-22

Reference:  v.1  My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you...

 Explore:  Working and living with teenagers can bring many interesting times.  They are often full of life, creative, imaginative, exploring new technologies, humorous and out-going.  However, there often lurks beneath the surface a darker side too.  We all know about it because we've been there before.  Being an adolescent can be such a tricky time of life as each person goes through the rollercoaster ride of hormones and emotions.  Amidst all the bodily changes they are then confronted with many decisions: which career? take drugs? have sex? study hard? eat well?  And make all these decisions with only one and a half decades of life experience!  Being a teenager can be a tough gig.

Application:  Parents, teachers and friends often look on teenagers with mixed emotions, one of them being slight helplessness as they all know there is only so much they can do.  In the end the teenager is the only one who can make the decisions for themselves.  Those around can share advice and wisdom but the decision is their own.  I hear that angst coming through in the writings of Proverbs.  It's a parent wanting to share wisdom with their child, it's a God wanting to share wisdom with their disciples.  The pages before us in Proverbs are filled with great insight and helpful instruction, but in the end it all comes down to our decision.  No matter how powerful the words that are written are, it is still up to us whether we heed the wisdom and follow that Godly path.

Prayer:  Lord, You have offered us much wisdom through the Scriptures and through the life of Your Son.  Help us to take note and make the right decisions so that we will follow 'every good path'.  Amen.

What are some words of wisdom that you were told that has helped you?