Proverbs 1:1-6
So You Want To Be An Adult?
Most people at some point in their lives come to the conclusion that there is
more to being an adult than just getting older. They understand that there are
also character traits and abilities which must be mastered.
Hopefully, they come to those conclusions while they are young, before
they make a lot of serious mistakes. If they do not, they are bound for a
life of grief—grief that they will both give to others and receive to themselves.
One of the most practical books in the Bible is the Book of Proverbs. It is a
book of instruction. It was written by a father who wanted to teach his son how
to be a man—not just any man, but a godly man. It should be required reading in
every Christian home.
If I were to finish this message as it is written, I would share with you some
eighty verses, all of them from this single Book. It is very doubtful that I will
get any where near that far.
Instead of talking about it, let’s let it speak for itself.
I. What are the purposes of Proverbs? To give those who will learn four
traits which are needed to function as an adult in this world.
A. \\#2\\ Wisdom - The ability to see as God sees.
1. God’s sight is different than man’s sight.
a. Man looks for the short distance. His sight can only see to
the next hill or tree.
b. God sees far beyond that. He gives us sight for the long haul.
c. Man may have a form of wisdom to give but it will only help
you survive life.
d. God’s gives us a wisdom that makes us thrive in life.
2. No amount of secular education can give this wisdom.
3. It comes from the Bible and walking under the direction of the
Holy Spirit.
B. \\#2\\ Knowledge or instruction
1. That is the definition of education.
a. Most kids want no more education. They figure twelve or more
years is enough.
b. However, the Bible offers subject material that you never got
in high school.
2. We are all familiar with topics of modern education - English,
the sciences, mathematics, etc.
a. The topic for this Book is character.
b. Unknown to most parents and schools systems is the fact that
character must be taught just like geometry and language.
c. Some of the topics are:
(1) \\#Pro 1:3\\ justice, judgment, and equity
(2) \\#Pro 1:4\\ discretion
(3) kindness, work, loyalty, honor
d. These are adult education courses, and they cannot be taught
properly without the Bible.
C. \\#2\\ Understanding
1. This is an ability to connect cause to effects or, to be more
precise, to connect our actions to their consequences.
2. Most everything we go through in our life can be traced to our
own actions.
a. Our income levels can largely be traced back to our educational
choices.
b. Our physical health can largely be traced back to our diet and
exercise choices.
c. Our marriage success can largely be traced back to the choices
we made since our marriage.
3. Life is like a boomerang.
a. Every action you do brings an consequence back to you.
b. Adrian Rogers told the story about the man who got a new
boomerang for Christmas but killed himself trying to throw
the old one away.
c. He didn’t realize every time he threw it, something was going
to come back at him.
4. Many a person killed himself, both literally and allegorically, by
not realizing what his actions were doing to himself.
D. \\#4\\ Subtlety
1. Shrewdness, craftiness, prudence
2. It is not enough just to do the right thing. We must do it in the
right way.
3. Subtlety gives us ability to deal correctly with the problems of
life.
II. What are some characteristics that we need to learn?
A. The book of Proverbs list many characteristics, but I find seven
which are mentioned the most often.
1. To fear the Lord
a. To fear the Lord means more than just to reverence or to
respect Him.
(1) It means to reverence and respect Him above all other
things and at the same time, it means to be afraid of
what could happen if you do not.
(2) Many today want to remove the fear out of our relationship
with God.
(a) They would rather emphasize God’s love, or God’s
fellowship, or God’s mercy, or almost any other
aspect or relationship one can have with God.
(b) All of these other aspects are good and true.
(c) However, the Bible also says God is to be feared and
we cannot get around it.
(3) I think it would do some Christians a world of God to
remember the God we worship does get angry, does judge
sin, and does have all power.
b. God describes those who fear Him.
(1) They will have knowledge or wisdom.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge
of the holy is understanding.
(2) They will leave evil alone.
Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the
evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD
men depart from evil.
c. God makes promises to those who fear Him.
(1) By fearing the Lord, we will extend our lives.
Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked
shall be shortened.
(2) By fearing the Lord, we can have confidence that good
things will happen and that our children will turn out
right.
Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children
shall have a place of refuge.
Proverbs 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall
abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
(3) By fearing the Lord, we can expect God to prosper us.
Proverbs 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure
and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and
life.
d. God also makes promises to those who do fear Him.
(1) God promises them problems on earth.
Proverbs 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be
filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools
shall destroy them.
(2) God promises them damnation in eternity.
Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Pro 15:24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell
beneath.
2. Live justly.
a. To live justly is to do what is right.
Proverbs 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths
of the righteous.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Proverbs 3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he
blesseth the habitation of the just.
Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Proverbs 10:6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the
mouth of the wicked.
b. The Bible gives many examples of doing what is right.
(1) Being honest.
Pro 16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD’S: all the weights of the bag
are his work.
(2) Being truthful.
Pro 14:25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
(3) Being a hard worker.
Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the
diligent shall be made fat.
(4) Being faithful, that is, loyal and dutiful.
Pro 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings.
(5) Having control over one’s temper.
Pro 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty
of spirit exalteth folly.
(6) Having control over one’s tongue.
Pro 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth
his lips is wise.
(7) Having control over one’s appetites.
Pro 23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall
clothe a man with rags.
(8) Not a busy body.
Pro 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is
like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
(9) One who seeks to have a good reputation.
Pro 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour
rather than silver and gold.
(10) One who is humble, not proud.
Pro 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
3. Avoid fools.
Proverbs 9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Proverbs 17:12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in
his folly.
a. The word FOOL is used in one form or another 78 times in the
book of Proverbs.
b. Usually, the word is not so much a classification but a
description.
c. Basically, Proverbs tells us two things about fools.
(1) Don’t be one.
Pro 8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart.
(2) Don’t associate with one.
Pro 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools
shall be destroyed.
Pro 14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him
the lips of knowledge.
d. However, it spends a lot of time telling us what fools do.
(1) Fools make light of sin.
Pro 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
(2) Fools are quickly angered.
Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked
devices is hated.
(3) Fools are contentious and argumentative.
Proverbs 18:6 A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for
strokes.
(4) Fools are wasteful and extravagant.
Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the
wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
4. Avoid sinners (Specifically mentioned are two kinds.)
a. Evil men
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for
the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down
into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life
of the owners thereof.
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh
froward things;
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of
evil men.
(1) We know what an evil person is. It is one who does evil.
(2) There have always been evil people.
(3) The remedy for dealing with them as always been the same,
"Don’t get near them! Avoid them!"
b. Strange women
Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which
flattereth with her words;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Proverbs 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth
is smoother than oil:
Proverbs 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of
a strange woman.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her
eyelids.
26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the
adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not
be innocent.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance
of his house.
32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth
it destroyeth his own soul.
(1) What is a strange woman?
(2) A strange woman is any woman who would take your heart or
your eyes off your wife.
(3) The Bible tells you not to be allured by her for she will
slay you.
(4) Immorality was not as much a problem for women in Bible
days because they were not afforded opportunities to be
around men; but today, we need to apply this to strange
men too.
5. Avoid greed.
Proverbs 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall
flourish as a branch.
Proverbs 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that
maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that
hateth gifts shall live.
a. Understand, the Bible is not against you being prosperous.
b. It is against two things:
(1) It is against you getting wealthy at someone else’s
expense.
(a) That would be true whether you are getting the money
through theft, dishonesty, injustice, or gambling.
(b) The Bible advocates working hard and working honest
for what you have.
(2) It is against you trusting in riches instead of trusting
in God.
Pro 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make
themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6. Work hard.
a. Working hard is part of the instruction given for many
situations. (I just mentioned in relationship to dealing with
greed.)
b. However, it is a major theme in the book of Proverbs all by
itself.
Pro 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the
diligent maketh rich.
Pro 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to
sin.
Pro 12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the
recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.
Pro 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by
labour shall increase.
c. Anyone who is lazy and shiftless is lacking in the maturity
department.
7. Honor God
a. Interestingly, I can only find one direct command in Proverbs
to honor God.
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all
thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with
new wine.
b. However, the thought is throughout this book, as well as, the
whole Bible.
Are you ready to be an adult? What does it take to be "grown-up"? A lot more
than most realize. It is not age. It is not having muscles. It is having
character. Isn’t it a shame that this book is not required teaching in the
schools? Isn’t it a shame that it is not required reading in our homes?
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