This morning I read 1 Corinthians 10. In this chapter, Paul briefly recounts Israel’s rebellion while wandering in the wilderness. As Dr. D.A. Carson points out in For the Love of God, Vol. 1, verse 6 explains that at least part of the reason these stories are recorded in Holy Scripture is so that we might learn from the bad example of our forebears and not repeat their sinful mistakes:

“Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”

Carson explains:

“Implicitly, it is all the more shocking if we who have received so much instruction and warning from ages past ignore the wealth of privilege that is ours. In our blindness we sometimes marvel at how some Old Testament figures or groups could so quickly abandon the godly heritage and covenant they received. How much worse if we do so!”

What should you, as young people, do about this? I think you’re in a wonderful position. Not only do you have the benefit of the examples in Scripture and church history, you have mini-church historians in your home: your parents. God has given them to you that you might benefit from their instruction and the lesson they’ve learned in their many years as Christians.

Here’s a simple assignment: don’t just wait to until the next time your parents get nostalgic and start telling stories about the “old days.” Humble yourself today by asking your parents questions that posture you to learn from them. Here are two questions you might ask:

• “If you could live your teenage years over again, what would you do differently?”
• “What do you know now that you wish you had known then?”

Let us know how it goes.

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