Press the arrow to listen to Nichole Nordeman sing “Legacy”

Observation
What is the first piece of advice that a father would give to his son going off to college? Leisurely days of childhood suddenly accordion into the last moments before a young man’s departure from home. As he stands at the airport gate, there is so much to say and so little time to say it in. Often in the last sentence before hugging his boy goodbye a father will whisper one last word of advice. He tries to cram so much wisdom into that moment. As his son disappears into the jetway he wishes that he had said more, sooner.

David spoke final words to his son, but they were not rushed sentences before take off. Before he departed the father/king took time with the crown prince to prepare him to lead. Those intimate conversations are recorded for us in Proverbs 1, as Solomon remembered the talks his dad had with him.  In Proverbs 1 is the lesson David felt was most important, because it is first.  The lesson is simple: choose your friends wisely. But the application David had in mind was not as simple.

David said to avoid two kinds of friends.

First, avoid the sinner as a friend. Here is how David described the sinner:

They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
…These people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life. Proverbs 1:11, 15, 18, 19

What is the sin that is so appealing to a young man? It is the desire to get money for nothing, to be clever, and to pull a fast on those who are older. Sinners will appeal to those basic urges, scamming and being scammed. In David’s day it seemed to be something akin to mugging. In our own, I think it could be any dishonesty that rips others off. The securest money is earned little by little, through hard work, that meets the needs of others, and offers quality at a fair price. Ethics like this endure because they are what make enduring people.

Second, the simpleton is not a good friend.  Here is how David described him:

How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. Proverbs 1:22, 32

The simpleton, to himself sounds clever and wise. But to those who are wise with God’s wisdom, a simpleton has the sound of a sarcastic cynic impressed with the sound of his own voice. It is odd that simpletons are oblivious to their simple mind. A simpleton feels smugly superior, but because he listens to himself and not the Lord he is really a fool. These are to be avoided as friends, because their advice will mislead.

Who then should be the friend of a young man? David’s answer is surprising. He did not recommend any human being to be young Solomon’s friend. Instead, David said, “Make the Holy Spirit your best friend.”

Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise. Proverbs 1:20, 23

Lady wisdom who cries in the streets is none other than the Holy Spirit of wisdom. A young man must learn to hear her voice, not in the quiet solitude of his room, but in the noisy place of business in the streets. If a man can learn to hear God’s voice while others are talking then that man has become a true friend of the Holy Spirit.

Application
The best advice a father can give his son is to make the Holy Spirit his best friend. It is not a father’s job to advise his son for the rest of his life. Instead, he is to introduce his son to the voice of God. Once trained to hear the voice of God for himself and to respond to it, a son is set for life. I pray today that my son will know the Holy Spirit as his best friend.

Prayer
Father, I have only a few months left with Levi. Help us during that time to learn together how to hear your voice and respond. Amen.