He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
Wise Attitudes: Godly Parenting: Proverbs 13:22-25
22) A good [man] leaveth an
inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just.
23) Much food [is in] the
tillage of the poor: but there is [that
is] destroyed for want of judgment.
24) He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him
chasteneth him betimes.
25) The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly
of the wicked shall want.
EXPOSITION:
Our Proverbs devotional
series now addresses the wise desire to parent children in a Godly way…
22) A good [man] leaveth an
inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just.
The
first principle of Godly parenting is laying up valuable possessions to be
handed down to the child:
1. A parent who is pleasing to the Lord will
leave wealth to his children to be used the parent’s death. This includes both worldly possessions and,
more importantly, the spiritual “valuables” found through God’s Word and a
Godly example.
In
today’s world, an inheritance is thought of as only being physical in
nature. However, in God’s Word, the importance
of the physical inheritance pales in comparison to the great value of a spiritual
inheritance. Above all else, a Godly
parent will seek to leave to his child a spiritual inheritance that includes:
a. Knowledge of the need of salvation.
b. The doctrinal truths of the Word.
c. An understanding of the “real-world” usage of
the Word.
d. A Godly example of a wise lifestyle.
2. Those parents who reject the Lord’s desires
for their lives will find that their worldly labors and efforts will hold no
personal benefits for themselves but will in actuality only benefit God’s
people. The labors of the wicked, being
under the sovereign control of God, are allowed for His people’s good and His
glory.
“For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in
his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail,
to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is] good before God.
This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
23) Much food [is in] the
tillage of the poor: but there is [that
is] destroyed for want of judgment.
1. The physically poor and spiritually humble
parent, recognizing the great value of possessions and their origin from the
Lord will use their possessions wisely.
They will seek to accumulate them for the Godly purpose of helping their
children and others in need. The Lord
then blesses the motivations and efforts of their labors, in an overflowing
fashion. By giving them an abundance of
fruits for their labors, the poor have their needs met and leftover to be able
to help their children and others in need.
2. For those who accumulate possessions with
selfish motives and ungodly practices show themselves to be lacking sound
judgment and face the perishing of their
possessions and themselves throughout eternity.
“Unto the upright there
ariseth light in the darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and
righteous. A good man sheweth favour,
and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be
moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.” (Psalms 112:4-6)
“How do ye say, We [are]
wise, and the law of the LORD [is] with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he [it];
the pen of the scribes [is] in vain. The wise [men] are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have
rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom [is] in them?” (Jeremiah 8:8-9)
24) He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him
chasteneth him betimes.
1. The parent that puts his own pleasure and
ease ahead of their children will withhold punishment from their disobedient
child. This will be a sign that the
parent is counting their child as a burden and an enemy, as they refuse to deal
with their obedience in a manner pleasing to the Lord and for the long-term
benefit of the child.
2. The parent that is willing to sacrifice for
the child and do what is for the child’s good will discipline the child when
they are disobedient. This displays they
love their child and their willingness to inconvenience themselves for the sake
of the child.
Remember,
the proper disciplining of a child, when done in response to willful,
rebellious, disobedience will teach the child the need to submit to higher
authorities in their life. One course,
this principle will be instrumental in their salvation, if we remember that the
Highest Authority is our Lord who commands all men everywhere to repent.
“Withhold not correction
from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with
the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” (Proverbs 23:13-14)
“The rod and reproof give
wisdom: but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame. When the wicked are
multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. Correct thy son, and he
shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” (Proverbs 29:15-17)
Please
note in the above verses when capital punishment is used in a Scriptural way,
it can be very beneficial in the raising of children. At the hand of a loving parent, who only
desires the good of their child, they will take special care in this type of
discipline will not becoming abuse.
WHEN
A PERSON SAYS THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS UNACCEPTABLE IN ALL SITUATIONS, THEY
ARE DENYING THE CLEAR TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE.
25) The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly
of the wicked shall want.
1. The parent who is righteous, one who is seeking
out and applying the truths of the Word to their life, will be blessed of the
Lord and find both physical contentment and possess a spiritually satisfying
life. They can look back on their life
knowing they were faithful to the Lord, they equipped their children for a Godly
life through their teachings and examples, and helped others in need.
2. For those parents who were wicked, they can
only look back at a spiritually destitute life, many missed opportunities of
service to God, failures in meeting the spiritual needs of their children, and living
selfish lives.
“Therefore thus saith the
Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my
servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall
rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: Behold, my servants shall
sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for
vexation of spirit.” (Isaiah 65:13-14)
SUMMARY:
Godly
parenting, although difficult and demanding of time, requiring much patience
and effort, will lead to contentment and satisfaction knowing that life was
lived to enable children to be greater servants of the Lord. May times, through Godly parenting, a child
is able to accomplish much more for Christ than what the parent could
accomplish. What a blessing it is to see
a child faithfully serving the Lord in even greater ways that that of the
parent. It is an acknowledgement of the
Lord’s promises of blessings, the parent’s patient, faithful, upbringing of the
child, and the gracious hand of the Lord…
“I will open my mouth in a
parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide [them]
from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a
testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our
fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to
come might know [them, even] the children [which] should be born; [who] should
arise and declare [them] to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments: And might not be as their
fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation [that] set not
their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” (Psalms 78:2-8)
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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