Blogging through Joshua Gibbs’ A Parley with Youth

by Brian Phillips

Wisdom literature is strikingly different than other genres, both in Scripture and beyond. The biblical wisdom writers observe the world, reflect and meditate on God’s truth, thinking about the patterns of the world, the human condition, and how God would have us to live in His world. 

For example, the book of Proverbs, written almost entirely by King Solomon, is an intensely practical book, addressing how we think, speak, and act. It speaks of anger, gossip, self-control, marriage, parenthood, adultery, wisdom, foolishness, the power of the tongue, government, finances, habits, community, reputation, and more.

Other wisdom literature, such as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, focuses less on prescribed behavior for others in favor of self-reflection and exhortation. Marcus’ Meditations are essentially his personal journal. Yet, though differing in structure, both types of writings are seeking the same thing: wisdom.

So…what is wisdom?

The first time Scripture speaks of wisdom, it does so in ways we may not expect. In Exodus 28:3 – “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.” The “spirit of skill” is the word commonly translated as “wisdom,” but notice that it is used in reference to the ability to do a specific thing well – making priestly garments.

In Exodus 31:2-5, the word is used in a similar context – “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” The word “ability” is “wisdom.” Exodus 35:31 translates it as “skill.”

Wisdom, then, is not merely the ability to think well, not some nebulous “form.” It is the ability to live life skillfully. Wisdom means not just knowing what should be done, but also having the character and ability then to do it. It is not enough to simply have knowledge or understanding; we have to have the courage to act on the right thing – that is wisdom.

In 1st Kings 3:9, when Solomon asked for an “understanding heart” he literally asked for a heart that hears; a heart that can call together or gather together all that is needed to choose what it right. That is wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and discernment.

It is this kind of “understanding heart” that Solomon wanted to pass along to his “son” in Proverbs. The early chapters contain multiple direct calls for his son to “hear” his father’s call for wisdom (1:8), “receive” his father’s words (2:1), and to remember his father’s instruction (3:1).

And while no human being ever truly “arrives” at wisdom (we can never have too much, or even enough, wisdom), the varying ages and stages of life do bring their own unique challenges that must be met with wisdom. And, as every adult knows, the teen years bring drastic changes in life for which few seem prepared. For teenagers, potential pitfalls abound – peer pressure, clothing choices, social media, music, dating, the dark corners of the internet, prevalent pornography, looming college and/or job decisions, and many more.  

A Parley with Youth by Joshua Gibbs. Credit for cover photo and title photo to CiRCE Press.

Joshua Gibbs’ 2024 book A Parley with Youth, aims to address some areas of life in which high schoolers need particular wise counsel. As the book’s subtitle indicates (Dialogues with High School Students about Virtue), each chapter is structured as a dialogue between Gibbs (a high school teacher, consultant, and writer with almost 20 years of experience) and fictional students.

In the following articles, I will highlight some of the wisdom Gibbs shares throughout the book, with the hope you will simply read the rest. I would encourage you to do so. But, for now, here is a fitting quote from his introduction:

“When advising teenagers on spiritual problems, adults tend toward clichés about ‘loving God more’ or ‘having more faith,’ but shy away from telling students to throw their video game consoles away and quit social media. Worse still, many Christian adults have given themselves over entirely to the psychologization of sin, especially when dealing with their own children. Cowardice is ‘fear of failure.’ Pride ‘doesn’t respond well to criticism.’ Nearly any personality quirk or idiosyncrasy, no matter how destructive or debilitating, is the morally neutral result of being introverted, extroverted, or stressed. Even Republican parents who otherwise complain about safe spaces, snowflakes, and welfare bristle at the word ‘punishment,’ insist on ‘consequences,’ and often argue that their own children should not receive consequences but ‘grace’ whenever they break the rules.”

The dialogues in A Parley with Youth not only offer answers to high schoolers, but also a pattern for parents, teachers, and church leaders to follow in discipling them. As shown in the quote above, Gibbs approaches these dialogues with honesty, sharp wit, and biblical wisdom.

To be continued…