Parenting a child is the most thrilling and a bountiful blessing in life. However, raising the child is no easy task; it’s demanding! When we have both girls and boys, the responsibilities placed on us as parents are amplified because nurturing girls and boys is not the same.
The Bible does not deny this fact. Hence, as most Bible scholars agree, the Book of Proverbs is “chiefly designed to provide counsel and mentorship customized for young men.” This was the assertion in our previous post’s conclusion, and this serves as the subsequent post.
As we venture into guiding and mentoring young men, our teaching zeroes in on not the entirety of the Book of Proverbs but specifically on the initial nine chapters. Through our study of this book, it’s evident that these initial nine chapters distinctly center on mentoring young men without veering into other subjects.
The Book of Proverbs stands among the wisdom literature of the Bible alongside Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. While numerous ancient Eastern wisdom books exist with similar sayings found in Proverbs, the Book of Proverbs holds its distinctiveness. It sets itself apart by imparting wisdom that aligns with the foundational truths of the Bible. This particular distinction is a critical truth that is evidently clear as we read and study the Book of Proverbs.
The Book of Proverbs operates under the assumption that the Universe possesses a Designer and Creator, in line with the teachings of the entire Bible. This fundamental truth is one that we, as parents, must impart not only to our boys (to our girls too).
In many Christian households, the truth of Creation is often taken for granted, assumed to be common knowledge among believers. Consequently, this vital topic tends to be overlooked by us parents, whether intentionally or unintentionally. However, Proverbs 1 to 9, and the subsequent chapters, do not overlook or dismiss it. As we guide and mentor young men, the Book of Proverbs not only acknowledges but actively encourages these young individuals to recognize and grasp this fundamental truth.
Proverbs 3:19-20 reads,
“The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.” Proverbs 3:19-20 NKJV
This is how wisdom recounts the story of creation: – (Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31)
“The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens;
By His knowledge the depths were broken up,
And clouds drop down the dew.” Proverbs 3:19-20 NKJV
This is how wisdom recounts the story of creation: – (Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31)
“Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man. . . .
The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.” Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 ESV
In a sense, wisdom implies in the preceding passage, “I was present alongside the LORD during the creation of the universe, serving as a tool for Him.” However, wisdom doesn’t claim, “I was the creator,” but emphasizes being present with the LORD during creation.
Wisdom says,
“and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.” Proverbs 8:30-31 ESV
At the time of creation, wisdom was present, observing and finding delight not only in God but also in everything that God brought into existence.
What, then, is wisdom loudly proclaiming and conveying to young men?
In her own way, wisdom conveys, “Pay attention, young man! This world isn’t arbitrary, and neither are you. The Creator of both you and this vast universe has meticulously fashioned everything with wisdom and insight. Everything, including your life, holds a defined purpose and rationale. And your life’s significance, purpose and meaning can only be discovered by harmonizing your existence with the Creator’s design.”
This is like wisdom shouting out to a man pursuing another man’s wife, “Stop! Stop! You’re making a grave mistake. The Creator did not intend this for you. Your actions carry inherent and hurtful consequences because they deviate from the Creator’s intended design and order of creation!”
So, “wisdom then is the fixed cause-effect order that God created and upholds,” Bruce K. Waltke, a respected commentator on the Book of Proverbs as it’s quoted on “Hear, My Son” by Daniel J. Estes.
Wisdom involves perceiving, comprehending, and conforming one’s life to the established order of things as designed by the Creator Himself. This implies that true wisdom cannot exist where God is not acknowledged as the Creator of all things. This is fundamental! Wisdom, by its essence, cannot truly exist without recognizing the presence of a Rational Being and Creator within this life and universe. Consequently, no one can attain wisdom without acknowledging God and His ordained order of creation.
As Proverbs terms it, the antithesis of wisdom is folly or foolishness. Someone who disregards the truths that wisdom imparts is considered foolish. It holds no relevance whether the individual holds numerous PhDs. This foolishness isn’t indicative of an intellectual deficiency; instead, it signifies a moral shortcoming. A moral failing occurs when an individual, knowing the distinction between right and wrong, consciously chooses to act wrongly, leading to their own downfall.
In guiding and mentoring a young man toward a fulfilling and joyful life, Proverbs consistently emphasizes the fundamental truth of an Intellectual and Rational Creator within this life and universe. Pursuing wisdom across all aspects of life marks the starting point for a young man to attain and live a “Shalom” life—a holistic life characterized by integrity, peace, tranquility, joy, and contentment- – – Contd. ///