LESSON 13 - PROTECTING YOURSELF WITH INTEGRITY IN SOCIETY

Youth 4th quarter 2024

December 29, 2024

MAIN TEXT
“When the righteous triumph, there is great joy; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.” (Prov 28:12)

LESSON SUMMARY
Wisdom and integrity are Christian virtues that are manifested in society. WEEKLY

READING
MONDAY – Prov 1:1-6 Called to be wise
TUESDAY – Mark 7:20-23 What defiles a human being
WEDNESDAY – 1 John 2:15-17 Love for the things of the world
THURSDAY – Matt 4:19 Called to transform the world
FRIDAY – Prov 1:7 The fear of the Lord
SATURDAY – Matt 20:26,27 A call to serve

OBJECTIVES
TO PRESENT the importance of wisdom and prudence in maintaining social order:
TO KNOW how the righteous should behave when faced with opposing values ​​in society;
BE AWARE that wisdom and integrity must be manifested externally.

INTERACTION
With God's grace, we are closing another quarter. We had the unique opportunity to study the book of Proverbs (1:1-6) and would like to remind you of its purpose: to bring wisdom. This book was written to educate us in various areas of our lives. However, it is important that you conclude this series of teachings by emphasizing that, more than being wise and honest in each area of ​​our lives, it is important that these virtues go beyond the walls of our inner life. We do not live alone, isolated, but in society, and therefore, we are called by God to act wisely and integrally in the society in which we live.
In this last lesson, we will see that divine wisdom does not operate in our internal life, but rather drives us to externalize what is within us as divine values ​​that derive from the Word of God.

TEACHING GUIDELINES
Teacher, reproduce the chart below and use it in the introduction to the lesson. Show students that good teaching comes from good learning, and the book of Proverbs has more to say to students than to teachers.

WISE APPRENTICES	PROVERBS	FOOLS
They willingly accept the instruction	Pv 10.8; 23.12	Ignore the instruction
They love discipline	Pv 12.1	They defend the correction
Listen to advice	Pv 12.15: 21.11: 24.6	They think they don't need advice
They are on the path of life	Pv 10.17	They will stray from the path

Excerpt from the Personal Application Chronological Study Bible. Rio de Janeiro: CPAD, p.657.

BIBLE TEXT
Proverbs 23.17-21; 24.1.2
Proverbs 23
17 Let not your heart envy sinners, but fear the Lord all the day long.
18 For surely there is a good end; your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
20 Do not be among winebibbers, or among gluttons of meat.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will wear out the garments.
Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy evil men, nor desire to be with them,
2 For their heart plans robbery, and their lips talk wickedness.

INTRODUCTION
We do not live alone, isolated, but in society. Therefore, we are called by God to act wisely and integrally in the society we live in. This is the subject of this last lesson.

I – WISDOM, PRUDENCE AND SOCIETY

1- Wisdom and prudence in maintaining social order. The section of verses (vv. 2-12) of chapter 28 that forms our base text, although each of these verses can be considered individually, taken as a whole, as the interpreters attest, reveals an ideal component of society. The context of Proverbs 28.2-12 shows that the basis of a just and orderly society is that the ideal of justice and integrity dominate its inhabitants. Verse 2 reveals that because of injustice and wickedness, princes are often dethroned, but if a prince is wise and prudent, order is assured. Here wisdom and prudence are virtues that maintain social order. This
perception is in full agreement with verse 12 which shows the joy of the people when the righteous triumph and the apathy of the people when the unrighteous rise up. Therefore, wisdom and prudence are virtues that develop the inner life and, at the same time, must be manifested in the outer life and in social interactions.
2- When injustice prospers. Verses 3, 6, 8 and 11 address the issue of the social treatment of the rich towards the poor and of the poor towards other poor people. The context shows that the absence of wisdom and integrity is a determining factor in the poor being oppressed, vilified and systematically ignored. It is terrible for a society when foolishness and corruption multiply, because even the poor oppress other poor people (v. 3), the wicked are proud of their riches (v. 6), greed and the abuse of interest are insatiable (v. 8) and those who have wealth think they do not need anything else (v. 11). A society like this is rushing towards self-destruction, because the absence of wisdom and integrity reveals something much more serious: a systematic rebellion against the Justice of God.
3- When there is no commitment to the Law of God.In Proverbs it is very clear that the wise and upright are those who observe the Law of God and, therefore, have in the “fear of the Lord” the moral and spiritual basis for their entire attitude in life (Prov 1:7). Thus, verses 4, 5, 7 and 9 reveal that the refusal to persevere in the Law of the Lord generates people who are less and less committed to virtues, such as wisdom and integrity. People who oppress the poor have already abandoned the Law of God (v. 4), neither understand what justice is nor seek the Lord with all their heart (v. 5); greedy and proud people have not kept the Law of God for a long time (v. 7); and those who have a false appearance of piety and practice all these injustices simply have their prayers as abominable before God (v. 9). Verse 10 confirms that the upright will inherit good, but those who seek to divert the upright from their integrity will suffer the consequences. Thus, the context of Proverbs 28:2 and 12 makes it very clear that wisdom and integrity are indispensable virtues for a socially just and morally integral society.

SUBSIDY 1
Teacher, based on everything we have studied throughout the quarter, ask the following questions: “What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?” “What is the potential danger of having knowledge without wisdom?” Encourage all students to participate and listen carefully to their answers. Then explain how easy it is to acquire knowledge, but how difficult and painful the process of obtaining wisdom is. Man transmits knowledge. God gives wisdom. Knowledge comes to us through education, whether by absorbing what the most educated have to say or simply by gathering information here and there, along the path of life. But what about the wisdom that comes from above? As you already know, there is no course, no school, no database on earth where we can access wisdom. And, unlike knowledge, which can be evaluated in objective analyses, quantified by exams and certified by diplomas, wisdom defies measurement; it is much more subjective, requires more time to acquire and has a lot to do with our attitude. (SWINDOLL, Charles R. Living Proverbs. Rio de Janeiro: CPAD, 2013, p. 248.)

II- JUSTNESS IN THE FACE OF OPPOSING VALUES IN SOCIETY

1- In the face of injustice. The issues of injustice and social inequality are the order of the day in our society. Because of them, diverse ideologies emerge that seek to provide compelling responses to injustice. In the face of this situation, how should a young Christian position himself? In light of the lesson from Proverbs, the way a young Christian acts in society has to do with presenting, in a wise and honest way with life, the truthfulness of the message that he/she carries within. A young person who thinks biblically will never reduce the social problem to a mere question. He/she knows that the Word of God reveals that there is a problem in the heart of the human being that is the source of all social evil that prevails in the world (Mk 7.20-23). ​​Therefore, the solution is not limited to a government's social program, as if only public policies could solve the issue that is of the heart. In this way, their responsibility is to present the message of salvation that radically changes the interior of the poor and, consequently, their position in society. In addition, meeting the most basic needs of those in need, as the first-century church did well (Acts 2:42-47; James 2:14-17), is also on the agenda for an authentic Christian (Gal 2:10).
2- In the face of moral corruption. The problem of our society is not limited to social issues. There is a serious moral difficulty in which a long process of deconstruction has clearly been developed to deconstruct families and the notion of gender. In this sense, a young Christian who thinks biblically must present him/herself to other young people as someone who is not ashamed of the ethical commitment to the Gospel in every sphere of his/her life (1 Peter 1:15, 16). Thus, persevering in a lifestyle that is completely opposed to the world has nothing to do with disrespecting people, but maintaining a non-negotiable commitment to God, without loving the world despite living in it (1 John 2:15-17).
3- Touching people's world.A wise and prudent young Christian, with a biblical conscience, will not have the pretension of “transforming the world,” because he knows that this type of utopia is an illusion. Completely transforming the world is a task so far beyond our possibilities that it will only be possible with the glorious return of our Savior to personally establish His visible kingdom in this world (Revelation 20:1-6). However, this does not mean that we cannot be instruments of God to transform people’s souls (Matthew 4:19). This is perfectly possible! God is counting on us to do this! When we serve someone in their need, we are instruments of transformation in that person’s world. When we support someone who is going through temptation, or any other personal struggle, we are touching a soul, a transformation is taking place, because God is using us as an instrument. When our speech is respectful (Col 4:6), when our response about our faith is filled with a gentle spirit (1 Pet 3:15), we can touch people’s hearts with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24:32). Then, their lives can be radically transformed. We cannot change the world, but we can be instruments of God to change people’s worlds.

SUBSIDY 2
Teacher, begin the topic by asking the following question: “How should a young Christian position himself in the face of social injustices?” Encourage all students to participate. Listen to the answers and explain that the issues of social injustices and inequalities are the order of the day in our society. Because of them, diverse ideologies emerge that seek to provide compelling answers to the causes of these injustices. There are ideologies that get the analysis right, but get the solutions wrong, so that what they previously accused of being oppression, they themselves become oppressors. (Adapted from the Pentecostal Study Bible. Rio de Janeiro: CPAD. p. 817.)

III- WHEN WISDOM AND INTEGRITY MANIFEST THEMSELVES EXTERNALLY

1- Is it worth it to be honest? The text from Proverbs, in this lesson, teaches us that integrity, which is a fruit of wisdom, is a virtue that comes from the inside out. When there is no integrity, ungodliness reigns; and it is natural that the more ungodly people there are, the more unjust society becomes. Generally, when there is a culture of ungodliness, it becomes “dangerous” to be honest. Thus, it takes courage and perseverance to remain honest. Therefore, maintaining this virtue involves the fundamental principle of “fear of the LORD” as the beginning and end of everything (Proverbs 9:10). A human being who does not fear God will not fear others either. This is the big difference between cultivating values ​​that begin and end with God and observing values ​​merely created by human ethics, fruits of an anthropocentric perspective.
2- Wisdom: loving God’s commandments. The book of Proverbs also teaches us that there is no wisdom without loving God’s commandments. In the Bible, wisdom is only possible when the truth of God’s Word is at the center of the human heart. This means that it is not enough to simply know Jesus’ commandments; it is necessary to love and obey them. In this case, it is not difficult to love them, because they were incarnated in a person, the Lord Jesus. Keeping the commandments is loving Jesus (John 14:21). And when we love the Lord, we desire to be his disciples, to imitate him in wisdom, integrity, truth, justice, and peace (Mark 1:22). Our Lord is the supreme example of true wisdom. We can be meek because He was meek, we can be humble because He was humble (Matthew 11:29). Jesus’ life is a balm of love and an incarnate example of what it means to be truly wise.
3- Wisdom and integrity to serve society. In Proverbs, the wise and upright are always willing to serve with their wisdom and integrity. Thus, the best way to respond to the world is with service based on love. It is the same perspective that the Lord Jesus taught us: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; cf. John 13:12-15). Yes, to serve society in a way that puts into practice the profound teachings of Jesus: instead of responding to the enemy in kind, we help him when he needs it (Romans 12:20); treating the elderly with respect (1 Timothy 5:1); treating people of the opposite sex with respect (1 Timothy 5:1, 2); doing good as an ethical commitment to doing the right thing (James 4:17). Serving society ends up being a reference to the Lord’s love for us. Perhaps we may think that society does not deserve us to serve it, but we also did not deserve our Lord to serve us and give his life for us, but He did. Therefore, the follower of Jesus, the wise and upright, understands that it is his duty to serve another human being (Mt 20.26,27). This is what wisdom and integrity to serve are all about.

CONCLUSION
The book of Proverbs is an invitation to leave a superficial life for a deeper lifestyle filled with spiritual meaning. Throughout this quarter, we have learned how profoundly practical the wisdom of God’s Word is. In this lesson, we saw that divine wisdom does not only operate in our internal lives, but it also drives us to externalize what is within us as divine values ​​that derive from God’s Word. Thus, we are invited to be people of integrity, lovers of Christ’s commandments, and people willing to serve the society in which we live.

REVIEW TIME
1- What does the context of Proverbs 28:2-12 show?
The context of Proverbs 28:2-12 shows that the basis of a just and orderly society is that the ideal of justice and integrity dominate its inhabitants.

2- What do verses 3, 6, 8 and 11 address?
Verses 3, 6, 8 and 11 address the issue of the social treatment of the rich towards the poor and of the poor towards other poor.

3- What do verses 4, 5, 7 and 9 reveal?
Verses 4, 5, 7 and 9 reveal that the refusal to persevere in the Law of the Lord creates people who are less and less committed to virtues, such as wisdom and integrity.

4- Cite examples that show how we can touch a person’s soul.
When our speech is respectful (Col 4.6), when our response to our faith is filled with a gentle spirit (1 Pet 3.15), we can touch people's hearts with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24.32).

5- What does the Book of Proverbs teach about the relationship between integrity and God’s commandments?
The Book of Proverbs also teaches us that there is no wisdom without love for God’s commandments.