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Part 2–"Peers vs Parents: Choose Your Path"

Proverbs 1:8-19

June 13, 2021

We can safely say that throughout life we go through a strange cycle in estimating our parents' intelligence: > When we are little, we ask lots of questions because we think our parents know everything > When we become teenagers, we think our parents know little to nothing; they are "out of touch". > When we're adults we finally realize that our parents were smarter than we gave them credit for. The first nine chapters of Proverbs include the instruction of parents to their children, as well as a primer for parents. It could be viewed as an instruction manual on how to rear children. Parents who learn to apply the lessons in these chapters will see these life-shaping truths sown into the young, fertile hearts of their children. "The person you will be in five years is determined by two things: the books you read and the people you surround yourself with." ~Dr. Howard Hendricks Solomon's wisdom for us points to the things and people which influence us. The people who determine "how we think" will always determine "how we act. Sooner or later everyone must choose which influence we will follow. Proverbs 1:8-19 Notice 3 main points: 1. The Pleas by Parents (vv. 8-9) God's plan is that parents are to be the primary teachers of wisdom. See Deuteronomy 6:6-9 > Their instructions will prosper you - Listen to their knowledge - Learn from their experiences 2. The Persuasion by Peers (vv. 10-14) > Their pressure will destroy you - Hide (v. 11) - Hurt ( vv. 11-12) - Have (vv. 13-14) 3. The Peer Pressure Response Plan > Avoid the people > Avoid the paths Why? (vv. 16-19 Going along with peer pressure is self-destructive. Peer pressures ambush themselves. If you join them in their practices, you join them in their plight. Jesus can rescue you from your foolishness. As he, a completely righteous and innocent man, hung on the cross between two robbers we see: - He took the punishment that thieves deserve so that thieves like us could be forgiven - He took the punishment for our greed, our cravings, our violent hearts, so that we could be set free - He gives his Spirit to his followers to empower them to walk in his wisdom. - He empowers us to avoid easy money, to be content, and to use our money to help others instead of using others to help us get more money. - He gives us a new community–the church–a community that does not entice us to sin but spurs us on to love and good deeds. The reward of wisdom is far greater than any allurement from peer pressure or ill-gotten riches that shimmer and fade and ultimately destroy you. They're not worth it. Remember: > Parental instruction will prosper you. > Peer pressure will destroy you. > Jesus will save you.