LESSON FOR JUNIORS
STUDY SCRIPTURE: PROVERBS 2
INTRODUCTION
Key Verse
Key Verse:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
INTRODUCTION
Michael loved cars. He especially loved to see the sleek streamlined shaped looking sports cars zoom past the slower cars on the road. He wanted one of those fast cars. He vowed that he would study hard, do extra well in school, get a great job, and the first thing he would buy would be one of those sports cars. He did not care or fear what the monthly payments on that very large loan to buy the car would be. Everything else that people looked forward to having such as buying a house, getting married, and having children, would have to wait.
One of his two sisters Melissa, loved clothes, shoes, hair dressing visits every week and those other pretty things, and she would argue with Michael that her a tastes were better than his.
Jane, the other sister, thought both of them were crazy. She wanted to study hard, graduate with honors, get a good job, save money, and have a Big Bank Account all the time. That would make her feel safe.
But those choices were not necessarily the best choices for they are things which will evaporate over time. They will not last. Cars will depreciate and lose their value. Clothes will wear out sometimes even before the style of the day changes and nobody wants to wear that kind or style of clothes or shoes or be seen with that style of handbags.
But there are things that will not depreciate or wear out. Some things will last forever and will get better and better with each passing day. Those are the real treasures which all of us should try to find.
Our lesson teaches us that Wisdom is something to be treasured. Wisdom is the only real lasting treasure. It is something to be valued. It is to be prized above everything else.
The Book of Proverbs was written to make young people wiser, shrewd or able to see what makes sense and what does not. This wisdom will give great results for the short and long-term.It will make the young smart, prudent or careful, and have understanding, develops self-control and discipline. That is what wisdom brings.
The book of Proverbs begins by stressing the importance of wisdom for the young and the simple, the inexperienced. They need to have wisdom. Because of the value of wisdom it will make sure that as they grow older they will get wiser and wiser and more discerning, seeing things for what they really are.Wisdom is so valuable that it prevents young people from being fooled or defrauded by other people. It teaches the realities of life so that they all would understand that they are not to be attracted by doctrines and habits to which they are often attracted.
It is good to like things that look very nice and attractive but sometimes liking those things and making them your priority is not a good idea at all. Loving those things a great deal when you are young will not sure you have much understanding of things. It will not sure your love of life which will last and your desire for intimacy with God.If they determine your priorities and goals in life, unfortunately these will set you back in life. When the problems like strange viruses come unexpectedly, when Providence in the economy happen and you lose your well paying job or sickness comes you should be prepared. There is only one way you can be prepared for life.
Wisdom will teach you how to be prepared so that when unexpected problems occur You can handle them. The writer named Solomon therefore gives practical advice. The book of Proverbs encourages people to sit wisdom above everything so that they would have the benefits it brings.
Both Michael, Melissa, and Jane, loved the bright looking and sparkling looking things of the world but they did not seem to be making much effort that is involved in obtaining wisdom. They started at a very young age to want the things desired by many people in this world and were prepared to make strenuous efforts to get those things. But they did not seem to treasure the ability to know truth from error, good from evil, distinguishing the best from the good, and get discretion on how they went about things.
But Our Study verses today show that success is only guaranteed when we meet the center of things, the heart of wisdom, which is the living God Himself.This begins by knowing the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God for those two cannot be separated. Both speak of being close, understanding God , loving God, and developing intimacy with Him.
There is a promise from God that if you turn your ears and open your ears to learn wisdom and make every effort to apply it to understanding the principles of wisdom, crying out to God to help you learn understanding and the ability to discern things and to spot truth from error, seeking wisdom just as you would make every effort to search for treasure if you hear that there is a hidden treasure buried in the ground near your house, then you will understand everything that God wants you to have. You will have success.
The reason for this is that the LORD, that is the name for the God who made a covenant with you and keep you on the path of success, is the one that gives wisdom. We only know what understanding and wisdom is by listening to what He says.
Young people are warned however that God has stored up this knowledge and beautiful wisdom for those who are upright, people who belong to Him because they accept Him as their Savior and who follow what He says, living and treating people with fairness, and practicing justice for everybody.
God promises us that he is a guard, a protector, and a shield to all those who walk with wisdom, those who are standing straight in life, and are not crooked. These people will not do anything that is crooked but will follow the ways of righteousness, and justice, treating everyone fairly, and following every good path in life, doing whatever is good to others.
When you understand the benefits of wisdom it will be because wisdom has become a part of you by coming into your heart. Then knowledge and wisdom will become pleasant. You will enjoy having it.
Michael, Melissa, and Jane need direction.
God wants to be a guard and to be a shield to them as they walk through life.God will protect these three and every other young person from making any of the many wrong turns that they can make as they walked through life. Sometimes these wrong turns are made without any intention to make them. But sometimes they are made deliberately and young people fall off the cliff because they cannot see what is happening around them when they come to the forks in the road. The road sometime splits in several ways and it is difficult to determine which route to take.
If our journey through life is to be successful, young people especially need the presence and wisdom of God. It is essential that young people maintain a right relationship with God so that God remains their shield and protector.
Remember therefore that wisdom is extremely valuable. It brings pleasant things to our insides, to our souls. It will preserve and keep. It is a great guide and ensures that young people will turn away from the destructive ways of evil even though these ways look pleasant.
Wisdom will point out the men and women that might look pleasant and attractive but what they really are doing is evil, and they want to drag the young, the innocent, and inexperienced into immorality and into sins that would damage their judgment And involve them in devices like taking drugs and smoking and vaping that will destroy them and ruin them.
Your parents at others we warn you that there are many corrupt men and women in the world. Their entire intention is to lead young people into the “jaws of death”.They will try to make the lusts of the flesh which will defile the body look very attractive.But these things will damage the soul as well.
Your priority as a young person should be to obtain understanding and wisdom and through that obtain the blessings of life, so that you will enjoy the love of God, and will possess the inheritance God has prepared for you so that you will enjoy eternity with Him.
So set your priorities straight. Value wisdom.