Wise Choices Make Hearts Happy

Hey, carpool crew. Some of you might be watching this at home with your family, and some of you might be riding in the car, giving it a listen, and some of you might be finishing breakfast before heading out for a day of adventure. Wherever you are, I'm so glad you press play. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm honored that you're listening to Carpooling with Jesus. Our verse today is from Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 15, my son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice. So this verse is written like a dad talking to his kid. Solomon is saying, when I see you making wise choices, it makes me so happy, deep down in my heart. It is not just about being proud of good grades or behavior, it's about your heart being wise. When you follow God, when you listen, when you do the right thing, even when it's hard, it blesses others around you. It really, really matters. I want you to think about this, when you choose to do the right thing. It doesn't just help you. It encourages your parents, your coaches, your teachers, your small group leaders at church. It encourages your pastors, the friends in your neighborhood, the neighbors you see. It just makes them say, yes, he or she is getting it, that they're growing up. Your wisdom doesn't go unnoticed. It brings joy to the people who are cheering for you. Now, most adults that know Jesus and want to be more like Jesus are always gonna celebrate seeing young people being wise. It's one of the things that when we saw Jesus as a kid, other adults made comment about, they saw him growing in wisdom and stature. This is a big deal. See, if Jesus were sitting with you after a tough choice or you chose wisdom, he might smile and say, that made my heart glad, keep walking in my way. See, Jesus cares about your heart, not just your performance, not just about what you do or say. And when your heart is wise, his heart rejoices too. See, everyone celebrates when you make wise choices. Let's say you're in gym class and someone gets left out, everyone else ignores it and they're ready to move on to play. But you don't. You step in, you invite them. See, your parents didn't see it. Your teacher may not notice. But God sees it. And that one choice, that's wisdom in action. And it blesses people, even the ones who aren't in the room. I love hearing stories from my kids when they make wise choices. I love just seeing them making wise choices at BMX or playing with Legos at a Lego camp or just being with their friends at church or at school. So what are some ways you can apply this today and make wise choices every day? Well, first, remember your wise choices bless others, not just yourself. When you do wise things, other people who notice it are gonna be encouraged by it. Second, ask God for a wise heart, not just smart decisions. See, it all comes from the heart. You know what your motives are. You know why you do the things you do. So when you ask God for a wise heart, you're saying, God, I want my heart to be in the right place when I make wise decisions. And lastly, live today, knowing that somebody is watching, somebody sees it, they're cheering you on. Even if they don't come up and tell you, they notice. It's the thing your teacher tells your parents about in a parent teacher conference. It's the thing the youth leader is gonna pull your parents aside and tell them, or send an email about. When you make wise choices, know that you're being cheered on, and even if no one sees it, God is watching. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you like today's episode, share it with a parent friend, let others know about Carpooling with Jesus. A quick text message is all it takes. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Carpooling with Jesus. You can follow along on Instagram at carpooling with Jesus. Thanks for being on the Carpool Crew. We'll see you next time.