I tend to be skeptical of published products with oversimplified approaches to the trials and temptations facing today’s teenagers. I thought this might be another one of those easy-answer books that seem to fill the shelves of Christian bookstores these days. In this case, however, I avoided judging a book by its cover.

Like the biblical book of Proverbs, this handy reference book brings together hundreds of wise, God-inspired sayings about the practical issues of living. Unlike Proverbs, this book categorizes its insights under almost one hundred different sub-headings making its collective wisdom easier to find. Why didn’t Solomon think of that?

The Millers’ book not only includes wisdom from the book of Proverbs, but from the entire Bible, as they draw from the whole counsel of God to address a wide range of topics. Those range from mild (reading, sports, clothes) to wild (cross-dressing, masturbation, occult); everyday issues (choices, exercise, reading) to emergency issues (cutting, runaways, suicide, abuse); internal struggles (fear, bitterness, thought life, submission to authority) to external struggles (bullying, gossip, stealing, drinking/drugs); as well the “things-I-wouldn’t-have-thought-to-include” category (natural disasters, sleeplessness, heroes, moving).

Rather than dump dozens of verses about sexual purity into a box labeled “sexual purity” without any other helpful arrangement, the Millers have carefully sorted the verses related to each topic into smaller groups headed by a simple statement of truth. For example, under the heading “Dress/Clothes” the authors have organized twenty passages underneath ten simple statements such as “1. God has promised to supply our necessary clothing” and “2. He knows that we have need of clothing but asks that we give him priority in our lives” or “10. Spiritual qualities are the most important ‘clothing’.”

This particular topic was one of my favorites in the book because it summarized an excellent “theology of clothing.” The Millers do this with each major category, teaching both the implicit and explicit biblical truths that apply to the topic at hand. A youth pastor or small group leader could use each of these “chapters” to teach a lesson or lead a discussion about various issues that students wrestle with every day. The book provides the Scriptures and the teaching points for what is sure to become a lively discussion and a ripe teaching moment.

Another helpful feature is the inclusion of “real life” examples of biblical people who have dealt with these matters. Students can see in the Scriptures illustrations of the effects of drunkenness (Noah), how to deal with failure (Peter), what to do with guilt (David), what integrity looks like (Joseph), or how to deal with loss of a loved one (Jesus and Lazarus). I can imagine a parent or youth worker shocking a teenager with the words “There was a girl in the Bible who struggled with the same thing you’re going through!”

For skeptics like me who are concerned with the possible misuse of Scripture or mere proof-texting, the authors comment on their approach: “We have made every effort to be true to context. For those texts for which the context does not totally fit, we believe the principle (timeless, universal truth) does apply to the topic at hand.”

The Millers also offer an understanding of how they approach Old Testament passages referring to Israel and the Law by explaining that all of these offer either direct or indirect instruction that benefits God’s people in every age. Most importantly, the authors emphasize the need for leaders and students to have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order truly to understand and live out what the Bible teaches. The first topic treated in the book is the “Plan of Salvation.”

I appreciate these explanations and would add one more caveat with which I’m sure the Millers would agree. Students need to do more than “take two Bible pills and call me in the morning.” These powerful little pills of truth are most effective in the student who knows and loves the Great Physician and is exercising the daily regimen of getting all of God’s Word into his system. Let’s be sure our young people pursue obedience to these principles in dependence on the Gospel not independent of it.

Every pastor, youth-worker, and parent should have this resource readily available. Every Christian young person would do well to have it, too. My copy will be well worn by the time my three kids reach puberty!

Jimmy Davis is pastor of college ministries at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tenn. He is a member of the 2006 Wilberforce Forum Centurions. He and his wife, Christine, and their three children live in Knoxville.