I've often heard it said about young people today, "These young people will never learn. You can't teach them anything." While it may be true that a great number of young people seem to not be interested in heeding godly instruction, we are fortunate to have some who are busy molding their lives after God's will. They are teachable, and they desire to be taught. How they live is evident that they have both been given and received training from godly parents. Let's look at two young men that were trained at home, and how that learning paid off.

Having been sold by his own brothers, Joseph is now far away from home and the father who loved him so. No one was around to help this young man who was a little older than 17 (Gen. 37:2). Now he is thrown into an adult situation by an immoral woman (Gen. 39:7). What does Joseph have at his disposal to keep him from sin? No family. No friends. All he has is his own faith. It was deep, shown in v. 9. It is clear this was a young man who had been taught at home about sin and its devastating consequences. Joseph knew that even when no one else is around, God was. Joseph knew God was aware and acted accordingly.

Much more so than Joseph, Daniel was yanked up out of his home while a "youth" (v. 4). He had no civil rights; he was a captive of war. However, he was presented with an opportunity that most in the world would say was his very good fortune. He was hand-picked to serve King Nebuchadnezzar, be trained in the ways of the Chaldeans, and become a success (vv. 3-4). Yet, Daniel knew that this "success" would come at the cost of his faith and all the training he had received at home. Therefore, he "made up his mind" that he would not defile himself (v. 8). Oh, that adults would make up their minds to not engage in sin!!

These two young servants of God teach us about learning lessons taught by godly parents. Young people, do not despise such instruction by those who more than anyone else want to see you go to heaven. If you want to be faithful when you're older, learn these lessons well now while you're young. You'll be glad you did.