Welcome to Week 3 of our Family Bible Study in the book of Proverbs! Our focus will be on the importance of wise friends and how those friends shape who we are becoming. This is relevant for all of us!
Proverbs is a book of wisdom for real life–helping us make good decisions, work hard, and choose wise friends. But it’s not merely good advice. Biblical wisdom is knowledge applied to everyday life for the glory of God. The goal of this Bible study series will be to lead our kids in building practical skills to live by God’s rules in God’s world. Let’s inspire our children to embrace these timeless truths and deepen their understanding of God’s purpose for their lives!
Click here for week 1 of our Proverbs study – What is Wisdom?
Click here for week 2 of our Proverbs study – Trust in the Lord.
Let’s Study the Bible Together: For Parents
Read Bible Passage: Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Big Idea: Spending time with wise friends who love God and care about you will be one of the most important decisions of your life.
Whoever walks with the wise will become wise.
The words of this proverb are simple but profound. It would be easy to read through this verse quickly and not even consider the far-reaching effects of what the writer wants us to grasp.
Let’s look at this verse a little closer.
What does it mean to walk with the wise? The “walking” in this verse and throughout Proverbs is pointing to “doing life” with a person or group of people. This could include the people you hang out with on the weekends, who your kids play sports with, and who you go to church with. The people we surround ourselves with really do influence what we believe and value. When it comes to the people we choose to invest our time in, we must ask ourselves: Do these friends push me to live wisely?
Proverbs 13:20b “But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
The second half of the verse–The companion of fools will suffer harm–is a stunning contrast to the person who grasps the importance of wise friendships. If wisdom can be defined as knowing how to apply the truth correctly, foolishness can then be defined as knowing the truth but choosing not to live it out.
For example, you might know in your mind that stealing is wrong and will bring trouble. But if you allow the desire to take something that you want to override the truth, which you know in your mind, that would be foolishness. If you spend enough time with people who repeatedly make foolish decisions, you will most likely become the kind of person who makes foolish decisions as well.
We are known by the people we choose to spend most of our time with. This can lead us to wisely follow Jesus or foolishly squander the resources God has given us. The Importance of wise friendships cannot be overstated!
Friendships are or will soon be a considerable part of your child’s world–and your guidance is essential. As parents, we have a powerful opportunity to model wise relationships and help our kids walk with the wise. Let’s stay alert, stay prayerful, and trust God to shape their hearts through the friendships they build.
Note to Parents: The “Let’s Study the Bible Together” section is meant to give you a better understanding of the passage. Feel free to use whatever helps teach your kids, and feel free to explain these Biblical concepts in your own words.
Family Bible Study: The Importance of Wise Friends
Opening Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for all that we are learning through this Bible study in Proverbs. As we think about spending our time with wise friends, I pray that we can learn from those friends and encourage them to live wisely too. Give us courage to live for you. Amen.
Read Bible Passage: Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Discussion Questions:
- What does it mean to be a good friend?
- What happens when you spend time with wise people?
- Is it possible to be friends with someone who makes foolish decisions? Do you think hanging out with them will lead you to act the same as them?
- What qualities should we look for in a godly friend?
- How can you be a wise friend to someone else?
Note for Parents: You know your kids better than anyone else, so feel free to adjust the questions to work for your family. Enjoy!
Memory Verse: Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Family Life Application
Game – Wise or Foolish?
Instructions: Go through a list of scenarios with your kids and have them decide whether the action was wise or foolish. Ask why after each “wise” or “foolish” answer. Have fun with these and feel free to add some of your own scenarios!
- You pray and ask God to help you find friends who follow Him.
- You keep spending time with a friend who always tries to get you to break rules, even though you feel uncomfortable.
- Your friend loves Jesus and reminds you to do what’s right.
- Your friend talks badly about others, and you start to do the same just to fit in.
- You ask your parents for advice about your friendships.
Closing Prayer: Ask a different family member to end your time in prayer each session.
Note for Parents: Please share a comment to let me know how the Bible study went!
Additional Resources:
Click here to check out our Family Bible Study in Colossians.
Family Discipleship: A Biblical Guide for Parents
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