Monday, June 27, 2011

Children Need to Guide Their Own Hearts

Proverbs 23:19-21

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

The first verse in this section of text gives us good instructions as parents.  We need to speak the right counsel to our children and then instruct them in guiding their hearts.  They must know that we cannot make them choose the right thing.  We can tell them the right thing but they must guide their hearts in the right way.  This right way includes staying away from people who drink alcohol and focus on food.  We should exemplify this to them.  Who do we hang around with?  Most alcoholics did not start out abusing alcohol.  It started with a casual drink.  Many alcoholics end up in poverty because they are unable to be responsible employees due to their abuse of alcohol.  Many gluttons end up being tired and clothed in rags because their health goes down and oversized clothing hangs upon them to hide and mask the consequences of overeating.  Choosing the right friends and being the right friend can really make or break the direction in which we journey.  Warn your children about who they choose to hang out with and exemplify to them healthy friendships.  Have people in your life that are wise.  He who walks with the wise grows wise but a companion of fools suffers harm.

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