Lesson prepared by: Pastor Steve Van Nattan. Editor: Balaam's Ass Speaks
Proverbs 23:20 Be not among winebibbers;
among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty:
and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
What is Solomon saying here? He is saying that God's people should not be with drunks and wine drinkers even if the Christian does not intend to drink wine. Solomon is saying that we better pick our friends very carefully.
Solomon had some pretty rotten brothers and sisters. They got into sexual sin with each other, and one tried to kill his father, king David. Solomon must have learned to stay away from them, and we can see that he was a good king and ruled Israel well. He became very wise and very rich because he knew how to be strong without being wicked. He made sure he was always in good company.
Let me tell you a story about my experience as a kid. When I was in Tenth Grade in South Gate High School in South Gate, California, I had an experience like this. We were not allowed to smoke during lunch time on the playground. I didn't smoke anyway, but I decided not to move one day when some smoking kids moved in near me to try to secretly smoke. I thought it would just be too much trouble to pick up my lunch and move.
We had a very sneaky Vice Principal. His name was Doc Joyner. He could sneak up on the rottenest and cleverest kids when they were doing something wrong. I used to watch Doc Joyner all through the lunch hour, and I really enjoyed his strategies. I was not breaking the school rules, so I could sit back and watch the show. It was better than any TV show you ever saw. He would walk around the playground talking to the well behaved kids in a very jolly way as though he didn't see the naughty kids. I liked Doc Joyner, and I didn't fear him at all.
This day I was not thinking right. I stayed near the smoking kids, and I was "minding my own business." I made the mistake of thinking that, because I didn't smoke, I would be left out if he caught the kids. The Vice Principal had what he called his "little party" after the lunch hour. At that "party" everyone he invited got a spanking. When he caught kids smoking or being naughty, he would invite them to his party in a jolly sort of way as if the party was a real treat. He gave hard spankings too. The tough kids pretended that they liked the spankings, but later they would admit it hurt pretty bad.
Well that day I just kept eating my lunch while the kids smoked. The Vice Principal caught them, and, horrors, he invited me to his "party" along with the smoking kids. No one could decline, and I went after lunch expecting to get a spanking. [ English kids call a spanking a "hiding" or "caning." "Take six with the cane, old chap." ]
The tough kids were all at the "party," and they were trying to act merry as if the party was going to be fun. When I got there, I told Doc Joyner that I didn't smoke, and I asked him if he really saw me smoking. He admitted he didn't actually catch me smoking, but he told me I was in the wrong company. He then asked me, pretending to be very sad, "Do you mean to tell me that you don't want to be in on my little party?"
I said, "No, not really."
He then said, "Well, that's too bad. I'm very disappointed. If you really don't want to enjoy my party, you can go back to class."
Well, I didn't get the spanking. What a relief, but I learned an important lesson the hard way.
Can you tell your Mom or Dad what the lesson is that I learned?
Can you think of anyone who is not living right who is one of your friends?
What should you do about it? Discuss this also with your Mom and Dad, and ask them to pray with you as you try to do what is right about friends.
If your grandfather loves Jesus and was in the war long ago, ask him to tell you a story about someone who was caught with the wrong friends. I'll bet he can think of a story just like that. It might have a much worse ending than mine, and it will help you to remember this lesson.
Also, would you pray for me, Pastor Steve Van Nattan, that I will not make the wrong kind of friends as I take care of the Lord's journal, Balaam's Ass Speaks? Thanks.
spchk