S T M ARY C OMPUTER C ENTER, E AST B RUNSWICK, NJ, Sunday School Computer Program© 2011

“Let your heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live” - Proverbs 4:4

On earth, God has given us multiple people who serve as guardians for us. For some, it is their duty to help you. For others, they are willing to help you out of their love. Can you name some? These guardians of yours are in charge of giving you both the spiritual and the material belongings. One of the most important spiritual aspects that every person must learn is that we must respect our guardians.

 When you were baptized, your parents promised God to teach you about him Each person had an obligation to obey God, as it says in Proverbs 4:4 “keep my commandments and live.” So, why should I listen to my guardians? Shouldn’t I only obey God?

What does the fifth of the ten commandments say? “Honor your father and your mother” If God told us at that time to obey out parents, then He certainly has a reason for it. Tell me who knows more, you or your parents, on the following topics: Dealing with people Parents Knowing what are good/useful things to have Parents Knowing the Bible Parents Knowing how to deal with situations Parents Knowing God Parents

God gave us these parents and elders so that they can help us as we grow up to not only be successful in this world, but to be more spiritual. We, as children, should take advantage of the experiences that our parents have had, and how through God they managed to get through tough times. What happens if we do not take their advice?

David was a king of the nation of Israel After King David followed his son, King Solomon What is he most famously known for?

King Solomon had made Jeroboam an officer over the labor force of the house of Joseph Jeroboam received a prophecy by Ahijah that he would become the king of ten of the tribes of Israel Solomon, in his anger and jealousy, wanted to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled

After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam took the throne Jeroboam and the assembly met with King Rehoboam and said, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you” Rehoboam told them to come back to him in three days He then went to the elders, the same elders who served King Solomon, for help

The elders told him, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever” What do you believe he should do?

Rehoboam did not like the answer that the elders gave him, so he went to his friends His friends told him “My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”

There are times when what our friends say is different that what our parents/elders say. When that happens, you have a choice to do what you want, and the outcome will tell us if you were right or wrong in taking that group’s advice. Let’s think: Who is considered more trustworthy, your friends or your parents/elders? Who’s advice should Rehoboam take?

After the three days, Jeroboam came back to King Rehoboam King Rehoboam responded, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”

The tribes of Israel, realizing that the King is not with them, decided to split and have nothing to do with Rehoboam Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the revenue, to the tribes, but he was killed. Rehoboam realized that he lost his kingdom and went to Jerusalem

The world is more than simply the worldly, so God tells us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33) God knows that we will have difficult decisions to make To help you, God has given us guardians, like our parents, priests, and Sunday school teachers to help you make those decisions

We often say that these guardians do not know what we are facing, but true wisdom helps us to understand that they have faced the same situations as we did and will If we follow the advise of our guardians, who have many years of experience, then we guarantee our success

The words of our peers and friends, though respected, should not take precedence over the words of our guardians. We should NEVER believe that we are “missing out” on something if we do not follow the decisions of our friends.

“Let your heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live” - Proverbs 4:4 S T M ARY C OMPUTER C ENTER, E AST B RUNSWICK, NJ, Sunday School Computer Program© 2011