Good Books--Great Tools to Help Young Men Guard Their Hearts

I have 3 very good reasons to be concerned--my sons aged 15, 19 and 23. They're bombarded with information for most of the hours of every day. it comes at them via text message, phone call, Internet feed, DVD, TV and video game box. At the same time, it's increasingly easy for them--and all young men in the US--to drift through their teens and early 20s in a society that has very few expectations for them beyond doing well in school.

History shows a very different situation. Young men in their mid teens were expected to be adults. In fact, the whole concept of the teen years being a period between childhood and adulthood is new. Don't get me wrong; I'm not for children laboring long hours for little pay. I'm glad we have child labor laws and that we encourage teens to finish school before adding the responsibilities of marriage and family. I also understand that a difficult economy has forced some adult children back home as a temporary means to make ends meet. Increasingly,though, young men drift through what should be the most productive and energetic years of their lives, and have very little to show for it. I don't want that for our young men.

Looking at the statistics for this group also raises concerns. Crime rates for young men continue to rise, peaking when young men are age 18! Over 3/4 of the young men who are booked for a crime are also found to be drug addicts. More young men than young women are reported to be alcoholics. Add to these trends the fact that the majority of teenagers no longer believe in absolute values of right or wrong; everything's relative. It's a recipe for disaster that we'd like our young men to avoid.

In Proverbs 4:23 of the Bible, King Solomon urges his son, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” What was wise advice in that day is also true today when electronic gadgets and Internet capability make it easy for anyone to immediately access all manner of vile information with a few simple clicks right from the living room or bedroom. Good books offer a way to help young men in their teens to guard their hearts.

Bob Schultz is a carpenter by trade. His books, Boyhood and Beyond and Created for Work, contain wonderful anecdotes and practical advice for boys making the transition from youth to manhood. Mr. Schultz writes in short, pithy chapters that are followed by several questions that encourage the reader to examine his life for areas that need improvement. I’ve found the chapters on being industrious, overcoming temptation, meeting God in the morning, and getting back up after a spiritual fall to be particularly thought-provoking.

J. C. Ryle’s, Thoughts for Young Men has a different flavor, but is also very helpful. Mr. Ryle exhorts, counsels and encourages young men in order to “keep some man in the right way and preserve him from faults and sins which may damage his well-being both for time and eternity.” Mr. Ryle, a 19^th century preacher, wrote this book in his later years. The book’s fervent tone reveals a fatherly heart, and the counsel is that of a wise and godly aged man. Although it was written over 100 years ago, this book is very timely and pertinent to young men.

Do Hard Things is an excellent book--well-written and persuasive. What makes it amazing is that it was written by twin brothers still in their teens. What the two young men have already accomplished with their lives will put many adults to shame. The book could be designed to give its readers a giant guilt trip. Instead, it encourages teens and young adults to think big, work hard and trust God.

Here's an autobiography that's hard to put down.  Follow the escapades of Brother Andrew--God's Smuggler--as he delivers Bibles to countries that were once behind the Iron Curtain.   The reader sees God working through details of daily life.