Dear Young People,
We will be looking at many passages from the Bible. So put your Dhyanamalar down and fetch your Bible.

Silly Monkeys (1 John 2:15-17)
An old Indian fable speaks of a kullakaaran (a man who sold caps) who slept under a shady tree one afternoon. When he awoke, his basket was empty; not a cap was in it. He looked up and to his dismay saw a family of monkeys on the tree. Each monkey had a cap on its head. The kullakaaran helplessly pointed his finger at the monkeys and scolded them. All of them imitated him. The kullakaran clapped his hands at them, and they repeated that action also. The kullakaaran had an idea. He threw his cap into the basket. Immediately the silly monkeys threw the caps they were wearing into the basket. Up jumped the kullakaaran, took the basket, and quickly left the place.

Advertisements tempt us with every possible item. A company shoots an ad with a famous model, cricketer, actor, or singer posing for a product. This ad is then shown in the TV, newspapers, and wall hoardings. That product suddenly becomes very popular and you will see people using that product. The devil makes monkeys out of people today by bombarding them with all sorts of attractive products.

1 John 2:15-17 tells us that we should not love worldly things—things that the flesh wants, things that we see with our eyes and want, and things that people are so proud of—all these things do not come from the Father.

Birds and Lilies (Matthew 6:19-34)
People are concerned about what they will eat and wear. So they work to get what they need. If they start worrying too much about what they will eat and wear in the future, they work harder. At some point, this drive becomes sinful. They then start longing for material things that they do not really need. They long for what their friends have. They long for the latest clothes, the latest video games, the latest car, and the latest anything.

In Matthew 6:19-34, we read what Jesus said to His disciples about this. Jesus tells them that they need not be anxious about what they will eat or wear. He shows them how the birds of the air are fed by the Father just as the lilies of the field are clothed by Him.
Therefore do not ____________ saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . For your heavenly Father knows that you _____________ these things. But seek first the _______________ of God and His _________________, and all these things shall be ____________ to you (Matt 6:31-33).

When God’s children seek Him first, He takes care of their needs and blesses their children too. They will never starve. Read what old king David said about this in Psalm 37:25.
I have been young, and now I am ___________; Yet I have _______ seen the righteous _________________, nor his descendants ________________ bread.

Rich Fool (Lk 12:13-21)
Materialism is the desire for worldy posessions. More than ever before, the world is moving in the direction of materialism.

‘The Rich Fool’ is another parable that Jesus taught. A rich farmer had a good harvest. His barns were not large enough to store all that grain. But he was really thrilled about it and decided to demolish the existing barns and build larger ones. He was really pleased with himself because he would have enough wealth to last him for many years. He had no real need to work anymore. He could just eat and drink and enjoy himself.

Do you know what God says to him in that parable? Look for the answer in Lk 12:20.

(Nahomi Dhinakar; Published in Youth Column of Dhyanamlar Mar II 2004) Click here for other Youth Column articles