Preface

     For this devotional to make sense to the reader there are a few things I want you to know. These chapters, in their original form, were letters that I wrote to my oldest son after he turned 13. The older he gets the more I feel the weight of responsibility to prepare him as a believer. I took a month to carefully write them in the hopes that it would create some very intentional time to share my faith with him, and it did. After going through the letters with him I began to think of how I could adapt them in a way that could help other parents share their faith too. What you’re about to read is the adaptation of those letters. 

     Now here’s the thing, I realize that not everyone has the same family scenario that Nolan and I have. However, that reality will not change the purpose or usefulness of this devotional. Both a christian mother and/or father could just as easily study through this with their son and/or daughter. A grandpa or grandma could even use this as a guide to chat with their grandkids. These chapters are meant to provoke conversations about faith. They did for Nolan and I, and that’s my hope for your family also. 

     And another thing. If you’re a teenager that’s bummed because you’re not able to read through this with one or both of your parents, I want you to consider something. Having anyone in your life who is willing to share their faith with you is an extravagant blessing. God doesn’t always provide for us in the ways we think He should, but He always provides. Make the most of any opportunity to learn about Him. Think about how you could provide for someone who will grow up like you one day. God’s family often picks up the slack where earthly families fail. 

     And finally, remember to pray together. At the end of the day no christian leans on their own understanding, but trusts in God. Ask Him to use this time in a special way that would glorify Him. 

For the King, 

Cody Parman

Chapter 1

Gaining Wisdom

“A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”

Proverbs 13:1

     Read that verse above very carefully. What comes to mind when you read it? If all you learned from that verse was, "do what your dad says," then you have more digging to do. There’s a lot to think about in that little verse, which is typically the case for a sentence in the book of Proverbs. Ultimately the verse is about gaining wisdom.  How does one become wise? The answer — very carefully.

     First of all, that verse teaches that both hearing and listening are key ingredients for wisdom. The “son” in that passage listens for specific things. Did you catch what they were? He’s described as wise because he’s open to instruction and rebuke. Being told what to do isn’t always fun. Nobody enjoys being told they’re wrong. However, can you imagine a world in which those things never took place? A world without that sort of wisdom would be chaos.

     There’s one more aspect of that verse that’s worth your attention. Did you notice where that instruction and rebuke was coming from? It’s from a father to his son. A good father provides those things for his son because he wants the absolute best for him. A son who recognizes those good intentions will not scoff or mock his father. When a father and son relationship is done rightly it’s an enormous benefit to everyone. 

     Being young is an amazing thing! When we’re young it means our entire life is ahead of us, but it also means we have much to learn. As we grow up we all have to make choices about WHAT we’re going to learn and WHO we learn it from. These choices determine the direction and destination of our lives. Not all instruction and rebuke is helpful. As a matter of fact, listening to the wrong instruction can lead you down a dead end road. A bad rebuke can can have terrible consequences. On the other hand, trustworthy instruction can save you from countless pitfalls, and a careful rebuke will serve you in wonderful ways.

     Ultimately, we all have to make these kinds of decisions for ourselves. Each of us must determine who is allowed to instruct us and who’s rebuke will stick. That verse in Proverbs simply suggests: if we want to be wise, then we should start by utilizing those who care about us most. In other words, it wouldn’t be wise to count on just anyone to give good advice, but you can count on the fact that a good father will always look out for his son.

     Good parents want to see their kids flourish in life. They want them to make a difference in the world. Passing on wisdom is a parent’s purpose and it helps a teenager live a more purposeful life. The only way this will happen is if you’re intentional with your time together and talk things out along the way. For this relationship to thrive it must be a two-way street. There must be a willingness from both of you to speak and listen.

     This phase of life is a critical moment to hand over and obtain wisdom. For a parent, wisdom should be considered the most valuable thing they have to give. For Christian parents that is especially so because the concept of wisdom has great significance. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” This means that the wisest thing a believing parent can do for their child is pass along their faith because that is to be the foundation of all of their wisdom. 

Discussion questions for BOTH to answer.

1. What stuck out to you in the reading?

2. Who’s advice has meant the most to you in your life and why? What made it valuable?

3. What do you think it is that makes someone worthy to listen to?

4. How do you know if you’ve been given bad advice?

5. How do you discern what influences you? What or who has been influencing you the most recently?