Did you know pigs can smell 25 feet underground?
Yeah. My wife and I have 7 potbelly pigs and they can smell 25 feet underground. At least, that’s what we saw on a TikTok video when we first adopted them. And then we saw it on an Instagram reel. And then a post on Facebook.
So, yeah. They can smell 25 feet underground. Why would everybody be saying that if it wasn’t true?
But is it true?
I mean, how would anyone actually test that? And why would they test that? Did someone dig a super deep pit, bury a dinner roll, fill it all back in with dirt and then let a bunch of pigs loose in the field to see if they could find it?
And 25 feet? That’s really deep! That’s below the water table in a lot of places. What possible biological advantage would it give pigs to be able to smell 25 feet underground?
I think I know what happened here. I think someone heard that pigs can smell really well - even 25 feet away! And they also heard that they can smell things - nuts and grubs and truffles - under the ground.
And then these two facts got mixed up, and regurgitated and reposted and shared again and again until they became the “truth” that everybody believed. That’s how so much stuff works online.
I just wish this was the only fact that TikTok has gotten wrong.
There is a lot of amazing and helpful content out there, but the truth is, Reddit and TikTok and YouTube and Instagram are filled with misinformation, and a lot of it is not just fun facts about animals, but advice on how you’re supposed to live.
There’s opinions dressed up as facts. There’s confident influencers that have no idea what they’re talking about.
Or worse, people who are actively trying to deceive because they think it’s funny. And that’s not even to mention the hyper-realistic nonsense that AI is now putting into the world.
This is the reality we live in: Truth, falsehoods, wise advice, and deceit are blended together into one toxic soup and it’s hard to know what’s even real anymore.
Here’s why I bring all this up. Because this new reality is a challenge for everybody, but it’s a crisis for young people who are still trying to make sense of the world.
How can the younger generations here at Grace 2024 find the path to a rich, healthy, godly life in a world filled with questionable advice?
SERIES SETUP
Well, that is what we’re going to talk about today. It’s the fourth week of our series, “All in the Family,” where we’ve been exploring what God’s invitation is to different demographics in this big church family of ours.
We’ve talked to the husbands and parents and elders. In the weeks ahead we’ll speak to wives and singles. But today, we’re talking about what guidance the Bible has for the younger generations.
Now, last week Tim pointed out that the concept of who is an “elder” is a bit fluid, and it’s all a matter of perspective. Well, the same thing is true for “youth.”
There are 22-year-olds who shake their heads at “kids these days,” and there are older people who find out my job and say, “but you’re too young to be a lead pastor!” I’m just a kid too, apparently.
The good news is, we don’t have to land on a strict definition of “youth,” because we’re all the children of somebody. And we all have something to learn from those who’ve come before.
So, however you define “being young,” if you are one of those “kids these days,” this message is for you. [PRAY]
PROVERBS 4
Alright, a great place to find some wisdom for the younger generations is in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 4, Page _______
While you’re turning there, I want to share briefly about a couple of things.
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Alright, so let’s dive in to Proverbs. First of all, what are proverbs?
Proverbs: short, easy to remember wisdom sayings
Some modern ones would be like, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Meaning, “eat healthy.” Or, “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.” Have realistic expectations so you don’t get disappointed when things don’t work out. Those are proverbs.
Well, this book is a collection of ancient proverbs given from King Solomon to his son. Now, Solomon probably didn’t write all of them himself, but collected the best wisdom he could find in the world to pass on to the next generation.
So now let’s define wisdom:
Wisdom: the ability to make good choices, to do what is right, to discern the truth
Wisdom is how you navigate the world well. How your life can get better over time, not worse.
And here’s the key thing to know about wisdom: unlike knowledge, which you can just pick up by reading a book, you can only get wisdom through experience. You don’t know which choice is the right one until you make it and find out.
So, wisdom comes through experience. But here’s the catch. It doesn’t have to be your experience.
Here’s what I mean. I’ve said this before. How do you gain the wisdom to know whether or not you should touch a red-hot stove? To make the right choice in that situation?
Well, there are two ways. One, you can touch the red-hot stove. You get burned. You get hurt. Then you have the wisdom which comes through first-hand experience. You don’t do that again because you know the consequences.
But you can also gain that same wisdom by learning from the experiences of others. When your parent tells you, “Don’t touch the red-hot stove. I touched it and it hurt me.”
If you trust them enough and follow their instructions, you can gain the wisdom to avoid the red-hot stove without ever burning your hand. You can gain wisdom from the experiences of others.
And that’s what the book of Proverbs is. A father giving wisdom to his children so they can learn how to live a good life from his experience.
So let’s see what this father has to say:
Proverbs 4:1-6
My children, listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.”
So, “I am giving you good guidance… Follow my commands, and you will live… [wisdom] will protect you.”
In other words, “you want to make good decisions in life? You want to live? You want to be protected? Then do what I say. Don’t touch the red hot stove.”
You can imagine the son saying, “Why? Why should I trust you?”
Well, the answer’s in verse 3. “For I, too, was once my father’s son.”
He’s saying, “I was once on the receiving end of my father’s wisdom just like you. My dad taught me good guidance and I’ve discovered the truth of his words. I put them into practice and it made my life better. Sometimes I disobeyed his instructions it made my life worse.”
“So trust me and learn from my experience. Get wisdom. Develop good judgment,” as he says in verse 5.
THE TWO PATHS
The father goes on. Verse 10.
Proverbs 4:10-27
My child, listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving…
The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over…
Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
Ok. So here the father is describing two paths his son can choose in life. The path of wisdom or the path of evil. One path is light and straight and leads to good outcomes, the other path is dark and full of pitfalls.
“If you choose the path of wisdom, you’ll find life and freedom. You don’t have to experience the pain of touching the stove. If you choose the path of wickedness, of just doing whatever seems right in your own eyes without wisdom, you’re going to burn your hand. Your life will be destroyed.”
Choose the right path.
And how do you know which path you’re walking on? Well, the father says, “Listen to my instructions, and I’ll tell you.”
And that’s what the rest of the book is all about. Wisdom gained from a lifetime of experience about which path will save your life and which path will ruin it.
Well, today we’re not going to get into the specifics from this ancient book of wisdom. Instead, I just want us to camp out on the basic premise of Proverbs 4: that You can gain wisdom from those who have gone before.
You can learn to avoid the stove without ever burning your hand. You can choose the right path in life without going down the wrong one first.
I think this is something the younger generations at Grace really need to learn how to do. Especially now, because not only do we live in a youth-obsessed culture that demeans and disrespects our elders, but we live in a time when the world is full of nonsense.
Pigs can’t smell 25 feet underground, despite what Instagram says.
It’s possible that mental health influencer you follow doesn’t actually have any idea what she’s talking about, and if you follow her advice you may end up more anxious and depressed than you were before.
That super popular Twitch streamer who gives 12-year-olds relationship advice might not have any real friends.
That productivity or finance “expert” talking on that podcast clip on TikTok might not have ever held a steady job. And maybe that’s not even a real podcast. Maybe the mic’s not even connected. Maybe he’s just looking off to the side to make it seem official. How would you know?
My point is this: if we are not careful, the “wisdom” of our world could lead us down a path that makes our life worse, not better. Especially when it’s not backed up by real experience. Especially when it’s not driven by the life-giving Spirit of God.
Verse 18. “The way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.” If we listen to their advice, we’re going to stumble too.
Now, look. I’m not saying there’s nothing good or real or true on the internet. Of course there is. I follow so many amazing accounts and I’ve learned so much.
What I’m saying is that if we really want to walk on the path of life, to experience wholeness and joy and the presence of God, then we can’t just roll the dice with influencers online.
We must do what Solomon says and follow the good guidance of our spiritual mothers and fathers who have real wisdom to give us.
WISDOM FROM THE WISE
That, right there, is God’s invitation to the younger generations of Grace:
Stop seeking life advice from a world filled with nonsense. Start seeking wisdom from the experience of your spiritual family.
This could mean seeking wisdom from your literal parents, or it could mean learning from spiritual mothers and fathers throughout this big church family.
Now, I realize this call is a bit broad. So I want to give the “youths” of Grace a few tips about how this wisdom-seeking works. And yes, I’m speaking to myself here.
Tip #1: Seek wisdom from the wise.
That seems kind of obvious, but here’s what I mean. Not every older person is necessarily wise.
According to Proverbs, wisdom is the path to life, to health, to honor, to joy… So if you want to find true wisdom, learn it from people who demonstrate the fruit of it.
For us as Christ-followers, this means learning wisdom from those whose lives reflect what Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of a life lived trusting God. A life of wisdom:
Galatians 5:22-23
The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The best spiritual fathers and mothers to learn spiritual wisdom from are those who demonstrate love, and joy, and kindness, and self-control. Who are gentle and faithful and good and peaceful and patient. Those are the wise ones.
Can you think of someone in your life like that? No, really. Pause and think of the people in your life. Who demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit?
What if you asked them to teach you how they ended up that way?
• How do you have so many healthy relationships?
• Why do you seem so calm and joyful?
• What could I be doing to develop more self-control?
I guarantee you’ll learn more from them than some anonymous influencer playing the search engine optimization game. Seek wisdom from the actually wise whose lives demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit.
Tip #2: Seek wisdom, not opinions.
This one is a pretty simple one. We live in a very tribalistic time. And most of us live in echo chambers hearing only voices which reinforce our own narrow views of the world.
It is very likely that some of the wisest people in your life - the people who demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, but who are a bit older than you - disagree with you on some hot button issues.
If you ask them their opinion on something in the news, and they disagree with you, it will be very tempting for you to retreat right back to your tribe.
So don’t ask them their opinion. Ask them what they’ve learned. What is their experience?
What have they learned about broken relationships? What have they learned about overcoming their insecurities? What have they learned about having faith in a broken world?
If they are truly wise, and they’ve got the fruit to show for it, then, as verse 1 says, “pay attention and learn good judgment.” Because they may just have the wisdom you need to avoid touching the next hot stove in your life.
Finally, Tip #3: Seek wisdom in community.
And here’s what I mean: The very best way to seek wisdom is from people who know you. Who are in relationship with you. Who are doing life with you.
Because those are the people who can see your strengths. See your passions. See you struggling and in pain.
Wisdom from strangers is just a roll of the dice. Seek wisdom in community.
That’s what I love about the book of Proverbs. It’s not ethereal wisdom coming from the void. It’s the hard-won life experience of a father seeking the best for his children. He has a vested interest in their wellbeing.
So find the wise people in your life who feel the same about you.
If you’re younger and you don’t have older Christ-followers walking with you through life: this is your wake up call. It’s time to stop going it alone.
Join a small group in Fuse or Merge. Serve somewhere at Grace where you’ll rub shoulders with different generations.
We work hard to be intergenerational here at Grace. Dive in anywhere and you’ll get to know people one, two, even three generations ahead of you.
Find your spiritual parents. And grandparents. And uncles and aunties.
Seek wisdom in community. Because there are two paths you could walk down. It’s those who know you best who can tell you which one you’re on.
Let them guide you and some day, when you’ve developed deep wisdom of your own, and your life is fruitful and life-giving and full, you’ll be the one passing wisdom on to the next generation.
[PRAY]
PASSING THE TORCH
While the band comes up for our last song, I want to flip things around just for a moment and speak to those who are older.
Because I just talked to younger people and told them to be in relationship with you. But it does kind of beg the question, are you available for them to find?
We’ve talked all through this series about the phrase, “Attend one, serve one.” It’s our way of describing what “normal” can and should look like at Grace. Attending one service on the weekend and serving somewhere at Grace once a week.
For some of you, maybe it’s time to start serving in kids or student ministries. To be there to invest in the next generation.
Because as we’ve already covered, “kids these days” are struggling. Their world is full of nonsense. Anxiety and depression are at all-time highs.
They need a spiritual family to surround them and help them navigate this crazy time with the love of Jesus. With wisdom.
I spoke with Sara, our associate pastor of kids and students, and she said there is a very specific demographic of people who can make a huge impact if they step up and get in the game: what she calls the younger grandparent demographic.
These are people who have years of mature experience walking with Jesus but who also have some extra energy and time in their schedules because of their life stage.
A great example. At Grace Kids Camp, we have folks like Linda Quigley, Scott Wilson, Kandy Thompson, and Jay Hornocker who serve so sacrificially to make camp amazing for the kids.
We believe there is a huge opportunity for more younger grandparents like these to begin attending one and serving one just like them.
If this is you that I’m describing, I want you to pray and ask God whether he is inviting you to consider serving in early childhood at Grace, or in LIFT, our disability ministry, or even in Fuse, our middle school ministry (how much energy do you have?!?).
You don’t have to know what “rizz,” “bet,” or “no cap” mean. You just have to be willing to share some of the wisdom you’ve learned from a lifetime of experience.
This could just be the moment for you, or older adults of any life stage - to make a profound impact in the lives of our younger generations.
Will you attend one and serve one? Because this big spiritual family of ours is ready for what you have to share.