February 2022 – Words for the Wise

Series Objectives:

WHAT: The book of Proverbs offers some practical help in living a wise life, and the wise life is a more complete and full life.

WHY: Living a wise life will help students do what is right, just, and fair.

HOW: Students will examine what it means to live a wise life, and they’ll discuss the benefits of that life as presented in the book of Proverbs and elsewhere in Scripture.

(Remember that we release our teaching videos and other content on our YouTube channel. So even if your 5th-8th grader can’t be here in person, he/she can still stay connected. You can even subscribe or turn on alerts so you know when each video comes out! Check it out: YouTube.com/mpcc5678 )

Here’s how that breaks down over the next few weeks:

February 6 – Week 1 – How Do You Avoid Being Embarrassed?

No one enjoys being embarrassed. Sometimes this happens randomly. But other times, it can happen because we have made a foolish choice or choices instead of wise ones.

This week, we’re looking at how we can make wise choices by learning from Proverbs and putting what we learn into practice.

There’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom. We want to be wise – part of which comes by listening to and learning from people who are older and wiser than us.

Parent Cue: Here are a few options to cue a simple conversation with your student after they have participated in our service – in-person or online:

• What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?

• What did Jesus do when he was 12 years old that teaches us about wisdom?

• Who are you planning to talk to this week to learn some wisdom?

February 13 – Week 2 – How Do I Make Wise Choices?

This week is our second lesson on wisdom.

We will look at how wisdom works in helping us make wise choices.

As students get older, it can become more of a challenge to make wise choices.

Part of this is because the brain is still developing, and students literally can’t make wise choices all the time.

However, it is also partly because they don’t understand how to make wise choices.

We’ll talk about some tangible, biblical principles that will help them make wise choices.

We’ll also talk about how often wise choices are built upon wise choices, so making a wise choice today helps to make more wise choices tomorrow.

Parent Cue: Here are a few options to cue a simple conversation with your student after they have participated in our service – in-person or online:

• Why is it sometimes risky to make decisions too quickly? How can patience help you make better choices?

• If you need good information on a decision, where can you go? What people, places, or sources can help?

• What questions would you ask the wisest people in the world? Why?

February 20 – Week 3 – How Do I Get People to Respect Me?

We’ll dig into how we can learn to gain honor and respect.

We’ll discover that gaining honor and respect comes, in part, from giving honor and respect.

It is often interesting that while most of us want to be treated with honor and respect, we are sometimes unwilling to treat others in the same way.

Matthew 7:12 is often referred to as “the golden rule” and helps us remember that we ought to treat others the way we want to be treated.

Parent Cue: Here are a few options to cue a simple conversation with your student after they have participated in our service – in-person or online:

• When have you been honored or respected? What was that like?

• Have you ever shown respect to someone who had been disrespectful to you? What was that like? How did the other person react?

February 27 – Week 4 – How Do Work, Rest, and Avoid Laziness?

This week is a topic that provides good conversation.

While the lesson is about overcoming laziness, we’ll also discuss the importance of work and the importance of rest.

We live in a culture that celebrates busyness, yet God’s Word makes it clear that there is a pattern of rest that is important in our lives.

I sometimes have trouble resting and practicing the Sabbath day—you may, too.

But we need a biblical understanding of work, that we were created for work, and that God built us to enjoy work.

And at the same time, we must also understand that rest is equally important.

Parent Cue: Here are a few options to cue a simple conversation with your student after they have participated in our service – in-person or online:

• What’s the difference between rest and laziness?

• Tell me about a time you accomplished a meaningful task—how did you feel when it was done?

• What happens to your body if you don’t take time to rest and relax sometimes?