Back to school advice on friendship from Solomon
photo/public domain
It’s back to school time and parents are just as stressed as their children.
In this time of “pseudo” crisis, we need to still focus on the responsibility to advise and guide our child as they head back to the classrooms.
Who better to ask for help than Solomon, blessed by God to be “wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live,”1 who offers bold statements from Proverbs.
Avoid the gossip
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. – Proverbs 20:19 (NKJV)
Advice for all of us – parent or student.
One must always pause to simply ask: “If they gossip about others, what do they say about me?”
Even in our failures, caught up in a moment or in the heat of frustration, we need to examine ourselves. We should always seek to avoid injuries to others with our most dangerous weapon – the tongue.
Hang with a “Person in the Know” and soon you’ll gabbing about your neighbor or even, giving false witness.
Avoid a tight association with the “angry” friend
Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. – Proverbs 22:24-25 (NKJV)
How quickly we fall into a “Blame Game” or regret the words that escape our mouths when were speak in anger.
I quickly found 20 Proverbs which dealt with anger, a most dangerous agent leading us to act in vengeance or with wrath.
When we focus on being angry, we become selfish, worried or upset about OUR needs, wants, desires, comfort etc…
Keep our eyes on the Lord and loving others and we won’t slip into this deadly trap as easily.
Be wary of “The Rebel”
An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him. – Proverbs 17:11 (NKJV)
Who usually gets caught in a rebellious act: the accomplice or the mastermind?
Every younger brother or sister can testify to how they were nabbed in one in their sibling’s scheme. Fighting against authority and the rules sound cool in our teenage years, but after a few punishments, we learn.
It’s a tragedy we usually learn the hard way.
Forge friendships out of love
A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18: 24 (NKJV)
The answer is always Jesus.
When all else fails, cry out to Jesus. When you need a friend, call out to Jesus. When you can’t like them, let alone love them, just lean on Jesus.
There is no greater friend and I pray that He’s sticking close to you, but if he’s not….you just gotta ask.
We could list more will little effort. Proverbs is chalked full of amazing words to live by…..31 books in Proverbs – one for every day! Check them out for yourself.
- 1 Kings 3: 12 (NKJV)
photo/Jesus Christ Messiah Origins cover
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