When you get a new gizmo, where do you turn for instructions on how to get it put together and working properly?  The inventor/creator usually tucks the directions in with the all the other pieces and parts, and if you follow them, you end up with a useful product.  That’s the idea anyway.

Have you ever tried to do it without looking at the directions?  I have.  I end up wasting my time, losing my patience, and having to go back to the beginning anyway with those instructions in hand this time…to “get it right”.

We’ve always heard that babies don’t come with directions.

Ah…but they do!

Their Creator wrote up a comprehensive plan for the complete education and training of these little ones He has entrusted to us.  It is found in the book of Proverbs.  And I’ve got a real sweet surprise for you.  Kevin Swanson has made it as easy as 1-2-3 to instill the magnificent wisdom packed into this critical book of the Bible…into the very fabric of your child.

We Wemmicks tend to think that an excellent education is all about geometry, geography and geology.  And the book of Proverbs?  That makes a nice subject for a sermon or a Sunday School class.  But Swanson makes this important point:

This separation of the fear of God from the chemistry class has produced an ungodly, secular science and yielded the terrible destruction of science in our “brave new world.”  The separation of the fear of God from social studies and political science has undermined the Christian foundations of this country and created tyranny (Proverbs 28:2, Nehemiah 5:15).  I place the blame for the failure of the Christian faith in the West, the widespread apostasy, and the breakdown of our Christian institutions, at the feet of those who separate the knowledge of chemistry and political science from the fear of God.  Christian teachers who teach chemistry should be less interested in their students learning chemistry as they are in their students learning the fear of God through chemistry (Proverbs 1:7, 23:17).

Introducing the Proverbs Family Bible Study Guide: a three part series that systematically and strategically takes you and your child on an exciting journey through the book of Proverbs.  Our family is working through the first book in this series which covers Proverbs chapters 1-15.  I love how easy it is to comprehensively uncover all the gems of wisdom hidden in Proverbs just by reaching for this book.

The second book in the series takes the reader through Proverbs chapters 16-23, and now, the newly released, final book in the series finishes up with chapters 24-31.

As you read this book, you will learn God’s basic truths, addressing the classical philosophical divisions of epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics.  You will grapple with the tensions of determinism and human responsibility.  You will find an entire system of priorities for life’s ethics and purposes.  You will find the basic constituents of a biblical social system, as well as principles for sound economics, government, and general business management.  This book gives insight into the proper views of theology, anthropology, and human psychology.  Any education program will give you a categorical system by which you can understand life, history, truth, ethics and reality.  Some systems have a semblance of truth, but all will fundamentally be compromised if they do not begin with the book of Proverbs and the fear of God (Proverbs 1:7).

Kevin Swanson, Introduction to Book III

Practical with a Capital “P”

Each section starts off with the next verse in Proverbs and is followed up by some astute, succinct commentary not only on the meaning of the verse, but its relevant application to our lives today.  In addition to helping you root your children in a solid Biblical worldview, you also will be stretched and challenged to think about many current issues of our day from God’s divine perspective.

If you’ve ever felt inadequate to fully uncover many of the hidden applications in the Word of God…this book is perfect for giving you the comprehensive guidance you need.  He wraps up each short section with a couple of great family discussion questions to get everyone involved.

We’ve tried a lot of family worship tools over the years, but I have to say, this is my favorite so far.  It’s not laborious and lengthy, yet it’s definitely not dumbed down.  It’s everything you’d want in a devotion guide.  Handy for family time, yet also useful for one on one discipleship of a child, Kevin Swanson’s Proverbs Family Bible Study Guide Series is one treasure you don’t want to miss.

 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Proverbs 9:10