Participants 84
Discussion Questions
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Choose one of the proverbs and explain how it can be applied today.
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“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27
This proverb applies at all levels of society today. It applies whether we are discussing national governments, cities, small towns, families or individuals. The daily news testifies to the truth of this. The United States of America is drifting farther and farther from her Christian founding. As we have done this our society dies.
Crime continues to rise. We don’t enjoy the economic blessings we once did. Violence and perversity fills our media and “entertainment” establishments. As a nation and a people we have lost that life-giving fear of the LORD. We have an epidemic of depression and mental illness in our nation. People are desperate to fill the hole in their hearts that only God can satisfy. It’s so sad but our world today is an illustration of what happens when people lose a healthy fear of the LORD.
But there is that remnant that faithfully follows God. These lives demonstrate that “fountain of life” that Proverbs promises. These people are not immune from the difficulties of this world, but they live in peace amidst the chaos. Their marriages and familes, though tossed about, remain steadfast. They do not live in desperation but in the security of a personal relationship to the creator and sustainer of the universe. -
Proverbs 4 in its totality is so relevant for the young of today, and no doubt for today’s fathers and mothers. “O sons, give attention to instruction”. Listening to parents is a scarcity today, and again parents teaching and disciplining is just as scarce. Very sad.
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Proverbs 12:1 says “whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” This proverb discusses this in addition to other life lessons, but this particular verse sticks out to me. A lot of today’s younger generations don’t like to be corrected or don’t have the drive and motivation to strive for more than the bear minimum. I am a teacher and constantly seeing students who get upset when I give them constructive criticism on their work and don’t want to make corrections and improve their learning. They think once they’ve done it, whether or not they’ve done it well, they’re done and that’s that. The same goes for when they are corrected for behavior issues. They become upset with who is correcting them and that they’ve been corrected, feeling no remorse for what they’ve done wrong most of the time. But it clearly states in this proverb to live a successful life, and part of a successful life comes from graciously accepting help from others and the Lord, and continuing to learn and grow.
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Proverbs 20:24 says “The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” In other words, as I go through life I need to follow His pathway for me, but sometimes I will not understand the direction He has me going and yet I should trust in Him and go!
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Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.”
We are warned throughout the Bible that pride in oneself is sinful. We put ourselves on a pedestal when we have pride.
It seems strange to me in this day and age that the current LGBTQ movement actually call themselves a pride movement and that their symbolism is that of a rainbow. It actually is a great example of how the Devil mocks God. I am not being a hater. This is just something that I think about when I see pride mentioned in the Bible.
I have found that being humble in life does lend itself to gaining trust with those you interact with in this life.
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How might the book of Proverbs be useful in training young people?
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I have heard many older people say wisdom is wasted on the old. I also hear and have said myself, if I knew then what I know now. If young people were to really study the book of proverbs, to see what it is about, these are lessons that they may not have to learn the “hard way”.
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Life is hard, choices are many, and young people will have the opportunity (and responsibility) to make choices, some of them difficult, many of them which will last a lifetime. The Proverbs are good to take into a young heart and mind, but more importantly is getting young people into the Proverbs, to live them for themselves. I would think it important to challenge youth to explain what a proverb means and guide them in any misapplication or fill in missing understanding. That would help give them “ownership” in the Proverbs.
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The book of Proverbs provides many great practical advices for parents, teachers and leaders training young people. A lot of the issues young people go through are discussed in the book of proverbs. Topics such as making wise decisions, choosing the right friends and the importance of of being diligent with work are some of the topics mentioned in the book of proverbs.
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Most young people are just experiencing life issues for the first time. The wisdom or advise of someone that is older and had experienced many of lives issues and has learned from them can be very helpful in giving advice if the audience is willing to listen.
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How might the book of Proverbs be useful in training young people
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
The book of Proverbs is extremely useful in training young people. I have had the privilege of teaching in a Christian school in Japan for the past fourteen years, and I have been working with 8th graders on a daily basis. During homeroom every morning, I have been using the book of Proverbs with those young students during the past 14 years.
The book of Proverbs is extremely useful because both Christians or non-Christians can easily understand the contents of the book. The topics covered in the book, written 3000 years ago, are still relevant today. The topic of making right decisions in our lives – especially how to use our tongues and maintaining positive relationships – is very relevant for the adolescents going through puberty – learning to make right decisions on their own. The book also recommends us that we ought to be humble and listen to other people’s advice and instructions. Once a non-Christian middle school student shared with me that he had enjoyed reading the book of proverbs because he could feel that he was being led in the right path.
The book also teaches us the importance of humility before God. It teaches us that, even though we study very hard, our knowledge will still be limited. We do not know what will happen next – say the pandemic as an example. By reading the book of Proverbs, we can understand that God is in control and that we ought to submit and trust in His care and guidance – through prayers and reading of His word.