As the days grow darker and more challenging, the task of parenting becomes increasingly demanding compared to its previous years. Particularly when parenting involves guiding and mentoring young children, it becomes more arduous than any other aspect of life. However, the undeniable truth remains that nothing in life is as gratifying and rewarding as parenting when parents maintain their focus on guiding their children in the right direction.
Yes, today we are picking up from where we left off last time—the instruction on how to mold and mentor a young man’s life, starting from his early years.
In our previous discussion, we emphasized the importance of a young man distancing himself from bad companions that tempt him, for instance, with wealth without hard work. Additionally, we highlighted that true wisdom itself is not attainable without putting in the necessary hard work.
“4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:4-5 ESV
The sage not only demonstrated to the young man the methods by which bad companions attempt to lure him but also revealed the eventual end of those bad companions. Listen,
“18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
it takes away the life of its possessors.” Proverbs 1:18-19 ESV
Hmm! The sage remarks, “they set an ambush” – to destroy whose lives? Their own lives! They exert considerable effort towards their own downfall.
Who can rescue a young man from such individuals, whether in schools or churches? The sage asserts that if the young man discovers wisdom, wisdom alone will be his deliverer.
Listen,
“10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
and who are devious in their ways.” Proverbs 2:10-15 ESV
Did you see that?
Wisdom, the beginning of it is the fear of God (Proverbs 1:7), serves as a safeguard for the young man, shielding and preserving him. As we said it numerous times before, the young man must initially acquire wisdom, allowing wisdom to reside in his heart and mind, so wisdom steers his path far away from evil influences, including bad companions.
Parents need not explicitly tell their young sons, “So and so is not a good person. I don’t want you to be friends with him.” While this may seem acceptable on the surface, it offers little long-term benefit to the young man. In such a scenario, all the young man comprehends is that his parents disapprove of his friend. That’s it. What parents should focus on is nurturing and guiding their child in wisdom so that the child becomes adept at choosing his own friends and companions at an early age. This approach encourages mental and emotional maturity, enabling the child to make independent life decisions based on the truths he has acquired through wisdom.
It is important to note this at this juncture though.
Regardless of how certain he is about the truth, the young man cannot be immune to temptations or the desire, for instance, to associate with the “cool guys” in his school or church, even if he is fully aware that they won’t impart any positive lessons in life.
From where do these temptations originate? Are they from the devil?
Indeed, Satan tempts everyone towards evil, but a crucial truth that a young man must grasp is that, like everyone else, sin resides within his youthful body (Romans 7:17, 20). This sin, referred to as ‘the original sin,’ has been inherited from the fall of Adam and Eve. Coupled with his inherent sexual nature, it can render a young man susceptible to both the devil and negative influences. This combination makes his internal struggle an uphill battle, one that he cannot triumph over without proper mentoring and training to live in the Spirit.
What does it mean to ‘live in the Spirit’?
The word of God says,
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14 ESV
What does it mean to be “led by the Spirit of God”?
In a moment of utter confusion for His disciples about how to live as followers of Jesus Christ, Jesus conveyed these words to them:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 ESV
In a nutshell, Jesus declared to them, My word is Spirit, and it is through My Spirit that you can come alive to righteous living. Nothing else! Period!
This implies that a young man can experience ‘a shalom life’ only if he is instructed to read, study, and meditate on the Word of God, which is the Spirit that renders him dead to evil and sin but alive to righteousness.
What does wisdom say to the young man?
She says,
Young man, just as a fish is out of its element outside the water, so are you when you are without the Word of God. Consistently nourishing yourself with the Word, through reading, studying, and meditating, is the sole path to achieving a ‘shalom life.’ Otherwise, consider yourself as lifeless as a fish removed from water, missing out on all the blessings God has for you in Christ, while remaining very much alive to all forms of evil and wickedness, including sin and death- – – Contd. ///