Solomon Says: A 5-Day Plan for TweensSample

Day 2

As wise as Solomon was, he knew real wisdom came from somewhere besides himself. It comes from God! God is the smartest, wisest, and wealthiest of anyone, anywhere. Everything in the world is His! (See Psalm 50:12.) Solomon got a glimpse of God’s knowl- edge by doing one thing: asking for it in prayer. Can you imagine? He got the instruc- tions for a good life simply by talking to God about it! From those conversations in prayer, Solomon knew that we’d have two choices: to live wisely or to live foolishly. And those two choices will give us very different results.

If you could read the recipe for a life of goodness, wouldn’t you want to? That’s what Solomon gives us in Proverbs! Who doesn’t want to be wiser and get some instructions for life? Treat people in a way that is right and just and fair? Have guidance and under- standing throughout life? I’m not seeing a downside to reading what he’s sharing with us. You?

So, our first step: the beginning of the beginning. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” To gain real knowledge, that eternal truth to guide you for a lifetime, it has to begin with a fear, an awe, an interest in God and His ways, His truths. 

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Dear Jesus,

Thank You for being the light of the world for lighting the path, showing us the way we are supposed to walk. Help me to make the right choices each and every day so that I will not only be able to see my own path clearly but also light the way for someone else. When I am in darkness, help me to see Your light. Amen. 

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One of the best ways to understand “the fear of the Lord” is to open your eyes to the beauty of nature. It’s God’s majesty and creativity that show us just how big God is and just how small we are.

Go out, right now, and take in the awesomeness of the Lord. Stand under a starry sky. Feel the grass between your toes or the dirt in your palms. Marvel at the clouds bringing the rain. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, take a moment to feel Him all around you and to be in awe of all He has made. When you’re finished, save a little piece of that awesomeness here. Press a leaf between these pages. Write a song. Sketch a tree. Press your dirt-covered handprint into the paper. And always remember that this fear, this awe, is the beginning of knowing God and all that He is.