A Wise Child Develops

Proverbs 4:1-7
1 My children, listen when your father corrects you.
  Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2 for I am giving you good guidance.
   Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3 For I, too, was once my father’s son,
   tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4 My father taught me,
   “Take my words to heart.
   Follow my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
   Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
   Love her, and she will guard you.
7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
   And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.”

Wisdom is inherited before it is developed.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7
6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Proverbs 4:10-11
10 My child, listen to me and do as I say,
   and you will have a long, good life.
11 I will teach you wisdom’s ways
   and lead you in straight paths.

The path you walk is forming you.

Proverbs 4:14-17
14 Don’t do as the wicked do,
   and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
   Turn away and keep moving.
16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
   They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17 They eat the food of wickedness
   and drink the wine of violence!

John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Proverbs 4:20-25
20 My child, pay attention to what I say.
   Listen carefully to my words.
21 Don’t lose sight of them.
   Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22 for they bring life to those who find them,
   and healing to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,
   for it determines the course of your life.
24 Avoid all perverse talk;
   stay away from corrupt speech.
25 Look straight ahead,
   and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Guard your heart above everything else.

Philippians 4:6-9
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.