The CEV translation sums up this verse, “It’s much better to be wise and sensible than to be rich.” How might you convince a teenager of that truth?
There's probably nothing more convincing that someone faithfully walking out their own convictions. The polar opposite of "Do as I say, not as I do." Do as I do, because life is better this way. How do I treat gold and silver? What priority to I place on wisdom and insight? The teenagers in my life will see that...and take note.
That being said, it wasn't until I traveled overseas that I fully understood just how rich our culture is in stuff while at the same time being so very poor in spirit. And I will never forget traveling to a small coastal town in Mississippi to help with the rebuilding effort the year after Katrina completely devastated the Golf region. Some of those people had lost everything, but not their spirit...and their stories were amazing. For that reason, I think encouraging teenagers to volunteer and serve (either here or abroad) is a great way to reveal the truth of this verse. Sometimes you just can't know things until your perspective has been changed.
“If only people would realize that moral principles are like measles...They have to be caught. And only the people who've got them can pass on the contagion.” ~ Aldous Huxley
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