By Ryan Malone

“Don’t touch that!” the mother screams as her young boy reaches for the hot stove top.

Does the boy satisfy his curiosity? Or does he heed his mother?

Well, if the mother has taught him well, he obeys her and avoids a burn. If not, he relies on experience to be his teacher. And, sure, he would learn from such an experience-perhaps never touching a stovetop again. But, why should he have to learn that way?

Good question.

In fact, why should anyone have to learn that way? Let’s turn that question on ourselves.

Why do many teens refuse to listen to authority, wanting only what they think is fun, then finding out otherwise through experience? Why not just heed the advice of those who understand the consequences or, even better yet, already have the experience? Why not spare themselves the scars?

A similar event happened thousands of years ago in the garden of Eden. You can read about that in the first three chapters of Genesis.

God gave the first two human beings a choice. If they chose the tree of life, the potential was astounding—to have God’s mind and power in conjunction with their intellect, growing in character until being born as a member of God’s family! Man decided not to listen to God’s advice. He, instead, decided to experiment. He had to learn, as so many do today, by experience.And 6,000 years later, man—cut off from God—is living the same way.

The society you live in is one big science experiment. This world bases its knowledge on scientific experiments.

This mentality rubs off on the younger generation. Don’t tell me what to do! I can make my own decisions!

And when the wrong decision is made and the consequences reaped, those who gave the unheeded advice concede: Oh well, live and learn.

But you don’t have to learn that way! You can learn first-before you live the wrong way. How?

Consider the Holy Bible. The words were inspired by one known as the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9), one who has more experience than any human being, since He had no beginning and will have no ending (Hebrews 7:3). Why not listen to Him? Why didn’t Adam and Eve? Certainly He would have a good reason behind anything that He commands or forbids.

Why ignore His commands about proper use of sex until you have been scarred by such things? Why live and then learn? Make an effort to flip that cliché. Because only when you truly learn can you go out and really live. Life will be so abundant.

The Bible also tells you to heed the advice of your parents and those older than you. Ephesians 6:1-2 says to honor your father and mother. Why? So you can live long on the earth (verse 3). This is why God calls it the first commandment with promise (verse 2). The promise is an abundant, long life.

Disobey your parents, and your life may be cut short. Learn from them, and your life may be prolonged. What a promise!

As difficult as it may be to understand now, realize that someday you will understand why you were forbidden certain things, just as you understand why the curious boy was denied his desire.

Consider this the next time you are advised against something that you may think would be perfectly rational. Think twice before rushing head-first into a situation that could burn you. Listen to the wisdom of parents, teachers and maybe even older siblings. Learn and live from their experiences—so you don’t needlessly repeat their mistakes. If you have any doubt in their advice, go to the ultimate authority. Go to God—the Ancient of Days. What advice would He give?

He would rather all of us, young and old, avoid learning by unnecessary experiences and learn to trust Him for what will bring us true peace and happiness-what will truly bring us an abundant life.

Why experiment with your own precious life? Learn first—then you’ll live as never before.