Montgomery County sentinel., 1940-09-19
THE VOICE OF WISDOM

LESSON TEXT-Proverbs 4:1O-27.
GOLDEN TEXT-Keep thy heart with
all diligence; for out of it are the issues
Of life.-Proverbs 4:23.
What to do and how to do it,
these are the vital things which the
book Of Proverbs imparts. 1t deals
with every condition Of life, good
and bad. in the revealing light Of
Gods holiness and love. Good ad-
vice may have its value. but we also
need to, know how to put it into
practice. Therein is wisdom dis
tinguished from knowledge A man
may have an unbelievably great
store Of knowledge. and yet be q
foolish man because he does not
have the wisdom to use it.
Knowing that these notes are used
by great many boys and girls, as
well as by their teachers. the writer
would suggest an outline for next
Sunday which can be remembered
by everyone who has ever crossed
a railroad track. What does the
warning sign say? stop, Look. and
Listen" Then what? If all is clear.
go ahead That is just what our
lesson tells us. Stop, for someone
has message for you; look, at the
two ways Of life; listen, to the wise
words Of counsel. Then go straight
al 10. <kA vs<,1,k
I. Stop (vv. 1919.
Life moves on at a rapid pace
One Of the devices Of the devil to
gain and keep his hold on us is to
keep things moving so fast that we
never stop to think. or to heed the
counsel Of others. The wise man
has something Of importance to say
to the young man whom he calls
his son" Let us stop and give heed
to his warning. for we are assured
that it will mean for us long and
happy life (vv. 10, ~.
Nobody but a fool would hasten
past such stop" signal. nor thrust
aside this opportunity for life-giving
instruction ". 1O. Here is some
thing far more important than
mathematics. literature, or econom-
les. Here is life.
ii. Look wv. 14-l9).
There are really only two ways Of
life-"the path Of the just that
shineth more and more unto the per-
feet day. ". 18), and ''the way Of
the wicked" which is only dark
ness and stumbling ". 19). There
is no middle way. We cannot walk
in both paths; it is ''either-or"
Young people should get hold Of that
fact, for in these days there is a
constant attempt to blur the colors.
making things neither black nor
white, but gray; neither good nor
bad, but just advisable or inadvis-
able.
The moral laws Of God are not
changed; right is still and will eter-
nally be right, just as wrong is and
always will be wrong. Wickedness
is so wrong that 1t causes men to
spend sleepless nights trying to en-
trap others ". 16). But no one need
60 that way; jdst do not "enter"
that path. "avoid it." and II by
chance you have wandered into it,
turn from it, ". 15). God will
help you.
III. Listen WV. 2O-25).
Listening is important business,
calling for real attention and appli-
cation. Especially is that true as
one listens to the truth Of God. II
should be received by an attentive
ear ". 20). kept before ones eyes.
and pondered in the heart ". 2ll i.
Such listening is sure to bring re-
suits, and we find them enumerated
in verses % to Is.
Life is assured to those who heed
the words of Gods messenger; not
just a bare existence, but healthy
life ". 22). Gods spiritual children
are not (or at least should not bel
invalids or weaklings.
Keeping the heart right ". 23)
keeps the whole life right, and the
way to be sure that the heart is
right is to all it with Gods Word
". 2D. Then see how the whole
life responds; the lips speak no for
ward (R. v. wayward or preverse
words. and the eyes look straight
ahead along the shining path Of the
! just.
Now that we have stopped to give
attention to the Lords word through
His messenger. and looked careful
ly at the two ways of life, and lis
tened to words of wisdom and guild
ance. what comes next? Do we stand
idly by and commend ourselves for
our wisdom, or do we sit down and
take our ease? No. Being assured
that the way Is clear. we
Nv. Go Ahead (vv. 26. I'D.
God wants His people to move on
to greater glory and usefulness. At
the Red sea. God told Moses, Speak
unto the children Of Israel that they
go forward"
Move forwardl valiant men and strong.
| Ye who have prayed and labored long:
The time has come for you to rise,
For iol the sun rolls up the Skies
Thoughtful. vigilant. lest he be
led into a bypath on the right or
left. turning his feet away from ev-
cry evil path. the child Of God goes
forward. and as he goes the road be-
comes brighter and brighter with the
glory Of the presence Of the Lord.