SERIES DESCRIPTION
When Jesus was a boy, He grew in wisdom. God wants us to discover wisdom, too. When we make the wise choice, we reflect the character of Jesus to people around us. That’s why giving kids a strong foundation of wisdom is important. We want them to be equipped to face whatever choices they may need to make in the future.
August Curriculum:
Week One (August 5th)
Walk This Way
Bible Story: Walk This Way • Luke 2:41-52
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, search for wisdom.
Memory Verse: “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you.” – James 1:5a NIV
Life App: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do and doing it.
Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.
Key Question: What does it mean to be wise?
Kids learn in school that knowledge is power. But while knowing things is certainly important, how we apply what we know is more important. We want our preteens to discover the difference between knowledge and wisdom and why that matters for how they can grow in their faith.
We start the month with Jesus and our only glimpse into His life as a child. In Luke 2:41-52 we discover that Jesus knew His Father’s house was where he needed to be. We’re told that Jesus grew in wisdom, faith, and friendship. This is the model we should follow as we seek to grow in our own relationship with God.
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, search for wisdom. Kids are growing up in the information age. There is access to more data than we could possibly need or imagine. But our knowledge is only as good as how we apply it. We pray that kids find value in searching for wisdom through God’s Word, trusted friends, Small Group Leaders, and their family. Wisdom is out there; we just need to find it.
Worship Videos
Week Two (August 12th)
Danger Zone
Bible Story: Danger Zone • Proverbs 22:3
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, look before you leap.
Memory Verse: “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you.” – James 1:5a NIV
Life App: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do and doing it.
Basic Truth: I need to make the wise choice.
Key Question: What could keep you from being wise? Preteens are starting to understand the difference between wise and unwise choices. However, none of them are perfect and often find themselves on the wrong side of an unwise decision. We hope that kids will start to identify what is keeping them from being wise and, in turn, make the necessary changes to make wisdom a priority.
This week, we look to something Solomon wrote in Proverbs 22:3. Wise people see danger and go to a safe place, but childish people keep going and suffer for it (NIrV). Without thinking, people can rush into a situation and soon discover that they are in trouble. Solomon warns us to make sure we know what we’re facing before we move forward with a decision.
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, look before you leap. Kids face all sorts of decisions where they have to decide if they will keep going or pause to evaluate the best option. This happens as they learn to navigate friendships, technology, and priorities. We hope that kids discover that pausing to ask, “What’s the wise choice in this situation?” can save them from getting hurt.
Worship Videos
Week Three (August 19th)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Bible Story: Everybody Wants to Rule the World • 2 Chronicles 10
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, hang out with wise people.
Memory Verse: “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you.” – James 1:5a NIV
Life App: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do and doing it.
Basic Truth: I should treat the others the way I want to be treated
Key Question: Why does it matter who I’m friends with? Many kids might assume that friends are friends, and it doesn’t matter who they are as long as they’re friends. However, when it comes to wisdom, having the right people in your life is important. We want preteens to discover that, good or bad, who they hang out with influences the choices they make.
In week three, we head to 2 Chronicles 10 and discover what happens with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. When he took over as king over Israel, people pleaded with him to make life easier for them. Rehoboam received counsel on both sides of this issue. Rather than acting on the advice from his father’s advisers, he acts on the foolish advice of his friends. This ends up causing a split in the nation of Israel, creating Israel and Judah.
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, hang out with wise people. It’s been said that we are sum total of our five closest friends. Who we choose to spend our time with influences not only the choices we make but who we are. We pray that kids learn that when they surround themselves with wise friends, they will be more likely to make wise choices throughout every area of their life.
Worship Videos
Week Four (August 26th)
Don't Stop Believin'
Bible Story: Don’t Stop Believin’ • Proverbs 3:5-6
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, trust God to give you wisdom.
Memory Verse: “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you.” – James 1:5a NIV
Life App: Wisdom – Finding out what you should do and doing it.
Basic Truth: I can trust God no matter what.
Key Question: Why can’t I trust myself to always make the wise choice? It would be great if, regardless of our circumstances, we’d always make the wise choice. Unfortunately, that’s just not true. Most preteens are self-aware enough to know that they don’t always make the wise choice. We hope through this question they can discover that the ultimate source of wisdom is God, and trusting His plan for their life is the best way they can make the wise choice.
In week four, we finish up the month with another one of Solomon’s proverbs in Proverbs 3:5-6. This familiar passage talks about trusting God’s plan rather than our own. When we lean on our own understanding, we will never consistently make the wise choice. It’s through trusting in God that we can find true wisdom for our life.
Bottom Line: If you want to be wise, trust God to give you wisdom. God is the author of wisdom. We can grow in wisdom as we read God’s word and discover His plan for our life. We pray that kids will put their trust in Jesus and discover how they can grow in their relationship with Him.