I recently studied the book of Proverbs in the Come Follow Me
curriculum for Sunday School for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. It was an uplifting endeavor.
Proverbs is full of the familiar sayings that we still hear quoted
frequently in our time, such as: “Train up a child in the way he should
go, and he will not depart from it” and “A soft answer turneth away
wrath” as well as “A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine”. That one
has been a favorite
of mine for a long time.
Attributed mostly to the writings of King Solomon, this is one of the
books in the Old Testament that are referred to as “wisdom literature”.
It’s almost like a manual of parental advice, words of wisdom for us to
help us and our
children navigate life.
Emily Belle Freeman said that
“...this wisdom literature was written with a concept of “thinking
through” which involves bringing in other opinions, reaching out to God for
answers, and noticing the fruits of the decisions we’ve made.”
I could see that as I read Proverbs. In the very first chapter of the book
of Proverbs, are these words:
“My son, hear the
instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother”
(Proverbs 1:8).
So, as I was studying this book in the Old Testament and rereading some
little gems I hadn’t thought of for years, I found myself also thinking
about the words of wisdom my own parents imparted to me as I was
growing up.
When I left to go to Brigham Young University, my dad said, “Now,
Georgia, just because everyone there belongs to our Church doesn’t
mean they believe the same.” I scoffed. “Oh, Dad!” But it turned out
he was right! That was something I had to “think through” when I saw
my roommates and other students doing things that I had been taught
were clearly not part of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even watching
them do something like housework or shopping on Sunday made me
stop and look around to see what other people were doing and what
other opinions people had about how to spend the Sabbath day. I made
a conscious decision to continue living the way I had been taught
because I felt better, doing “Sunday” things on Sunday and staying
away from what I had been taught were not “Sunday” things. That
brought peace for
my week.
I remember one thing my mother requested when I was growing up was
that I come home from playing with a friend at the reasonable time she
had specified. I didn’t always like that rule, and sometimes I would cal
l home and ask if I could stay longer. I can’t think of too many times my
mother said it was okay. Usually she would reply, “Now is a good time
to leave when you’re still having a pleasant time and enjoying each
other’s company. You’ll be better friends.” And she was right, too. Just
like my dad had been. Spending too much time together often led to
quarrels and sometimes even sneaky behavior both my friends and I
knew wasn’t the best idea. Again, it was checking out other people’s
opinions and determining the consequences of the decisions I was
making even when I got older, and I didn’t have my mother nearby
suggesting that it really was time
to come home at the specified hour.
Both of these pieces of advice found their way into the way I parented
my own children. And THAT, is when I could really see the wisdom of
my parents' humble teachings.
I’m sure you have similar experiences with the “wisdom literature” your
parents shared with you and how you share some of that wisdom with
your own children.
In October 1983, Marion G. Romney who was a counselor to President
Spencer W. Kimball in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints said, “ … What we desperately need is to
recognize and acquire that quality which converts knowledge
into wisdom.”
Consequently, my invitation to you and to me is to think about the
lessons from Proverbs and keep on “thinking through” everything that
comes our way, check out other opinions, seek answers from God, and
keep track of the results of the decisions we have made. If we do, we
will acquire that quality which converts knowledge into wisdom. Then
we will be able to continue to share that wisdom with our family and
others in order to better navigate life.
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