The Guide of Her Youth Prov. 2:16-17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In this passage Solomon describes a strange woman who flatters with her words and causes young men to leave the path of uprightness. This strange woman has forgotten the covenant of her God [to protect her virginity and to marry in the Lord] and has gone into the way of darkness [Prov 2:13]. This kind of trouble with a girl starts when she forsakes the guide of her youth [her parents].
Parents, for the sake of your daughter, you must be the guide of her youth. She may choose to forsake your guidance but, as her guide, you must teach her:
How to be Modest – girls today learn from current fashion trends. Girls show far too much flesh today and stir up the lust of others. Look at the description in 1 Tim 2:9-10. Does that look like society today? You need to guide your daughter in modesty. Again, she may choose not to be modest later but you can help her by dressing her consistently modestly when she is very young.
How to be Spiritual – you can’t make your daughter spiritual but you can show her how to be spiritual. Ultimately, your daughter must make her own decision about receiving and following Jesus Christ. But at a young age, you have an influence in spiritual matters that can help her to desire spiritual things as she grows older. Of course, if you aren’t spiritual the likelihood is that she won’t be spiritual either. More than likely your daughter is not going to be interested in a young man who is interested in things of the Lord. She’s going to look for a young man who is interested in her, her personality and her body. These are not spiritual interests; these are all carnal things.
How to be Balanced – there is a problem here with false balance. Consider the woman of Prov 31. She is balanced but she didn’t get that way by being the star cheerleader or the star volleyball or soccer or basketball player. Many parents side heavily with education and sports and lightly with Bible and the church. And their children are out of balance. Some of the girls who mysteriously disappeared in their late teens and early twenties were straight A students. But they weren’t smart enough to stay away from alcohol late at night and, as a result, regrettable and sometimes horrible things happened.
How to choose Relationships – there are many young men and women who aren’t good influences. They are often the popular ones that others want to be around. Your daughter should know how to patiently choose good friends. And you should maintain an influence in your daughter’s relationships. Teach your daughter to stay away from social media. Teach your daughter to get to know his/her family before committing herself to a friendship. Excellent friendships are often made with spiritual friends in sound churches.
How to deal with Emotions – there is a major difference between infatuation and Biblical love. Teach your daughter the difference before she is old enough to experience infatuation. Teach her how to recognize and deal with depression. Teach her how to handle loneliness. Teach her and show her what Biblical joy really is.
How to handle Peer Pressure – Prov 1:10 says that if sinners entice thee you are to consent not. That can be very difficult for a child to do particularly if she wants to go do what they are doing or if she fears them. The fear of man bringeth a snare. She may go along with them just so they don’t ridicule her. But she needs to know how much trouble she can get into.
How to be Safe – 2 Sam 13:8-14 – teach her to never be alone. Teach her to get to her home early and not to be out late. Young ladies whose lives have been destroyed were separated from their friends, they were intoxicated, they were dressed seductively, they were in a bad place, they were with someone whom they didn’t know, they were enticed and they were hurt or even worse some of them were killed. A girl who is truly spiritual wouldn’t put herself in any of these situations.