SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 1:8-19

OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
1. Many times the young feel that they know better, especially than their parents. Solomon urges us to pay attention to what our parents (and others with life experience) have to say. Even if not everything is said in a helpful way, there is wisdom contained in their words.
2. At the same time, be cautious about the things your friends or peers are encouraging. Don’t just do it because your friends are.
3. Think about it, often the things we are enticed to do are not good for us; and often the things we are advised not to do are not good for us. This is not a hard a fast rule, its not always like this. But put the things you want to do (that sound good to us) to the test, and don’t quickly dismiss the things that we don’t want to do. The best path is often not the most lieable path.
4. There are not shortcuts to success and happiness. Stealing, lying, cheating, etc., these may have the appeal of getting what we want, but in the end, “it takes away the lives of those who get it”.
5. Where am I being enticed? distracted? tempted to bypass God’s way for an easy way? Whose voice am I listening to?

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be discerning, to reconsider the path less appealing, to pay attention to the advice of others and sense if I can hear You through them. Help me not to go with what feels good, but with what ultimately is good. Amen.