A Book Review from Books At a Glance
by Kristin Stiles
We all know there is a treasure trove of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, but we may not know how to make that accessible to our young children. Carine Mackenzie has provided a resource to do just that. She has chosen 12 Proverbs that are very applicable to little ones, and she shares them in a way that is meaningful to her audience.
In her book, Wise Words to Follow: Words of Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, Mackenzie takes the approach of sharing a saying from the Proverbs (NKJV), and then she explains what it means in the daily life of a child. She also offers a brief prayer that the children or parents can recite which asks God to help them apply it to their lives. She does this with eight of the Proverbs leaving the other four to stand alone.
I appreciate the thought that went into picking these specific Proverbs. She classifies the themes under these categories: Caring, God’s Blessing, Guidance, Listening and Learning, Obedience, and Rest and Refreshment. Her explanations are very simple, but they are also very poignant. She stresses the importance of obedience to God’s Word and to parents, but also points to the forgiveness and salvation that can be found in Jesus when we sin. A simple gospel message winds its way through this little book.
This book does not necessarily lend itself to being one that you’d read straight through with your child on your lap. I think it would be much more useful as a weekly devotional. Mom or Dad could read just one of the Proverbs with the accompanying explanation and prayer, and then for the rest of the week, have the child work on memorizing that Proverb. Not only would this serve to introduce your children to this wonderful book of wisdom that God has given us, but it would also help them to hide these truths in their hearts.
Kristin Stiles is a home-school mom, a Sunday School teacher, and helps lead the “Young, Reading, & Reformed” children’s ministry at Reformed Baptist Church of Franconia, PA.
Buy the books
WISE WORDS TO FOLLOW: WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, by Carine Mackenzie