God’s Instructions for Young Adults

Introduction

For those of you who are teenagers and think your parents don’t treat you as if you are mature enough, you can tell them that in Biblical times you were considered an adult at age 13. But the downside of this is that in Biblical times the parents also would arrange who you would marry. Here’s the dilemma of parents of a 15 year old. The son or daughter wants to be treated as if they were 20 but they sometimes act as if they are still 10. It’s tough growing up. When my youngest son was in high school, he really got in trouble. I was so upset with him that I grounded him for life. Then I wasn’t sure how I was going to enforce that, but you know a father never likes to undo a just punishment. After a few months he helped me get off the hook by coming to me and asking if I couldn’t reconsider. So I was very gracious. I released him from his life sentence.

For those that are entering adulthood, the Bible has some good instruction. One of the best passages is found in Proverbs 3:1-8.

Verse 1
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments.

This verse starts off with the words "my son." This instruction no doubt was written by Solomon to his sons, but the Hebrew word could just as easily mean "my child." The instruction given is for all those who are entering into adulthood. We need to learn God’s word when we are young. As Psalm 119:11 tells us, "I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." This verse says "do not forget my teaching." When we are facing trials or temptations, we will find guidance as we remember God’s teachings.

Fritsch comments, "One of the golden words of religion is ‘remember.’ There is no spiritual life or growth apart from the great spiritual heritage of the past. No religion recognized this truth more clearly than Judaism, with its strong emphasis on the teaching of its youth concerning the great facts and truths of its holy history. In view of the appalling, continuing ignorance among Christians of the simple biblical facts and Christian doctrines, the church may do well to heed more carefully the message of this verse."

Verse 2
For length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you.

Have you ever looked at Laura’s Fountain in Applegate Park when it’s full and the water is streaming down? The light causes the water to appear iridescent and sparkling. There are wonderful reflections of color and radiance. This is like our life when we are young. We are full of sparkle, hope, and potential. But eventually Laura’s Fountain gets turned off. The water slows to a trickle and the sparkle fades. Finally the water is calm and quiet in the bowl of the fountain and slowly evaporates away. We must take advantage of the opportunities God gives us while we are young. When we do, we are promised length of days and years of life. God’s hand of blessing will be upon us. But those who waste their youth and abuse the gift of life that God has given them will find misery and pain as they grow older. Let us sparkle with God’s love as long as the water of our life is flowing. May we not waste the precious moments that God has given us.

Verse 3
Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Here are two traits that are sorely lacking in today’s society – loyalty and faithfulness. People start things and then just as abruptly, they quit. They change friends, change jobs, change churches and even change spouses at an alarming rate. It used to be that you could count on people to be there for you. Now employees can’t count on their jobs being there, churches can’t count on their pastors staying, and children can’t even count on their parents to stay married.

But God says that we need to learn loyalty, and we need to learn faithfulness. In fact, it’s so important to him that he says in this verse, "bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." If you are the kind of person that others can count on, you will be a rare individual.

McGee writes, "This is more than simply submitting to duty. I hear so often that it is ‘our duty’ as Christians to do this and to do that. My friend, maybe you won’t like for me to say this, but it is not a duty. It is the loving devotion to the will of God."

Verse 4
So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.

When you are the constant, stable, faithful person that God wants you to be, others will find you trustworthy and reliable. Your boss will learn to count on you, your family will trust you, and God will bless you. When you live your life according to God’s principles, you will find favor with others. Doors will open for you that are closed to others. People will ask you to take on important tasks while others wonder why you’re so lucky. God’s hand of blessing will be upon you.

Verse 5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.

This is the most difficult thing for us to do – trust in God and not lean on our own understanding. We like to think we are in control of our lives. We like to be the one in charge and the one who makes all the decisions, especially when we are young. But this verse tells us to not rely on our own insight. Rather, we must learn to trust in the Lord with all of our heart. This is sometimes not easy to do. But as we learn to trust God in all areas of our life, we will find joy and peace in our soul.

Clarence Macartney once wrote, "Two temples once were built. The one was built with hands. Marble and stone, gold and silver, iron and brass were brought from afar. When at length it had been completed and the grand structure stood there in all its glory, men marveled at the skill and the achievement of the builder, and exclaimed, This temple shall never know decay. Meanwhile another temple was being built, but not with hands. None saw the toil of the builder. None saw the stone, the marble, the gold and silver and precious woods that were gathered for this temple. But at length it was completed, although none wondered at the finished work. None praised the builder or predicted immortality for the temple. The first temple has long ago disappeared. It has sunk into dust. But the temple built in our youth still abides and shall abide forever, for it is the temple of our immortal soul which was built while we were young."

Verse 6
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Do you acknowledge God in all things you do? You’ve all seen these bracelets with WWJD – what would Jesus do. In every activity in which we participate, we should be asking what would Jesus do! We should behave as if Christ were right there with us. The reason we should act that way is because Christ IS right there with us, in every activity of every moment of each day. As we acknowledge him, we will find that Jesus directs our paths. He leads us along and reveals his will for our life.

The Interpreter’s Bible points out, "...the emphasis is on the word all. God demands absolute obedience and surrender in every realm of life before he can direct our paths. The problem of how we can know God’s will for us, or how we can know that God is directing our lives, can be understood only in the light of our trusting him with all our heart and acknowledging him in all our ways."

Verse 7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Have you ever noticed how smart we think we are when we are young? We are convinced that we have all the right answers. Mark Twain once wrote that when he was 15, he was convinced that his Dad was the most ignorant and backward father anyone could have, but when he was 25 he was surprised how much the old man had learned in the past 10 years.

When we are young, we never believe the warnings of the older generation. We think: getting drunk isn’t bad for me, drugs won’t harm me, smoking is cool. We had a man in one of my previous churches who was not even 40, and his liver was ceasing to function properly. He told me he had done whatever he wanted whenever he wanted for his whole adult life. Now, he wished he could have some of those years back. He committed his life to Christ late in life, but he told me – I feel so bad that I can’t give God the best years of my life. I can only give him what’s left of my weakened and sick condition. Don’t be that way. Give God the best years of your life, and you will find that you will have many more good years than your friends who don’t turn away from evil.

Verse 8
It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

This is God’s promise to you. If you serve him and live your life according to godly principles, it will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. Fritsch writes, "The reward of trusting God is a healthy body. The moral state of a man definitely influences his physical condition. The body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit...should in no way be defiled, but should be cared for in temperance and in respect."

These verses are instructions for young adults, but they really apply to all of us. Let us all heed the warnings in scripture and learn to trust God and live our lives according to his divine plan. May we all follow the admonition of Solomon to his sons, and God will bless us and keep us by his mercy. I want to conclude this study with the exhortation given in verses 5-6.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Footnotes:



	A Study of Proverbs 3:1-8