Let the sign speak to you. They have much to tell you, but you must look, listen, and learn.”
–B.N. Rundell (Last Chance Gulch)
“It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.”
–Ecclesiastes 7:5 (HCSB)
—————————–
Sometimes we have the tendency to read over Scripture without really looking at what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us. Proverbs 4 begins with some vital information regarding how to live with instructions to parents and children.
1 — Hear my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.
2 — For I give you good doctrine: do not forsake my law.
3 — When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 — He also taught me, and said to me: let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live. (NKJV)
(ESV)
1 — Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 — for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
4 — he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.”
Instead of dead-beat dads and those who have abandoned the family it would behoove fathers to speak like this to their children. It would change society if fathers would take up their role and responsibilities and teach their children properly. Think of the difference it would make if fathers would teach their children properly. Down deep it is a spiritual problem. J. Vernon McGee writes, “The real difficulty is that in man there is not that love and longing for God and for the things of God.” If man truly loved God they would desire that their children would also love Him.
Parents are responsible for the existence of their children: conception, nurturing, education. “The child is given to its parent by God in its undeveloped moral condition, but God retains His own inheritance in the gift. He looks for nurture, for cultivation. He demands from the parent such a fulfillment of parental duties as will ensure Him that His gift shall grow of more and more worth in the moral universe.” (J.L. Flores)
However, there is a second requirement presented–Listen! The neglect of listening to instruction is a sin against self, society, and God. It is up to the child to receive the Word and instruction of their parents and cherish it. There must be the willingness to be taught, for a computer mind is not enough to make it through this world and into eternity, wisdom is needed. Wisdom, proper teaching/instruction should be taught from one generation to the next. It is the way to preserve truth, heritage, and traditions.
The father is depicted as giving good doctrine, or precepts. Know this, that good doctrine, instruction in life, brings good character. However, is starts with the right concept of God. J.L. Flores reminds us that there “can be no right feelings towards God unless there has been right teaching about Him.” That, first of all is the responsibility of the home, not the state. Listen – without good character the result is bad character. Without the proper knowledge of God there cannot be good character. Flores states, “A man must know God as He is before he can begin to follow Him. There must be a true mirror to give correct reflection.” But if the father, the mother, is not diligent in their teaching and if the child does not care to listen the result is a confused, chaotic society.
This world is a big, bad, mad, and evil place therefore–LISTEN! Get wisdom, hold fast to it, then live the life properly as you have been taught. Someone has used the illustration that God is calling out to us, “Come and get it.” First is the call for salvation, to accept Jesus Christ, and second, is the call to believers to gain understanding from God’s Word. The primary item on the menu in Proverbs is that of wisdom–come and get it. Embrace the security, honor, and beauty that it offers. Realize that most of society’s problems are a mistaken view of God and the lack of proper teaching to the children. A mistaken view of God brings with it soul disease.
Know this that is it up to us as parents and as “students” to give out God’s Word, to listen to God’s Word, and then to obey it. “There’s a price to pay if you want to know God’s truth and obey it.” (Wiersbe). There is also a price to pay, an eternal one, if the truth of God is not accepted. Listen now and obey.
—————————–
Sometimes we have the tendency to read over Scripture without really looking at what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us. Proverbs 4 begins with some vital information regarding how to live with instructions to parents and children.
1 — Hear my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.
2 — For I give you good doctrine: do not forsake my law.
3 — When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 — He also taught me, and said to me: let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live. (NKJV)
(ESV)
1 — Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 — for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
4 — he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.”
Instead of dead-beat dads and those who have abandoned the family it would behoove fathers to speak like this to their children. It would change society if fathers would take up their role and responsibilities and teach their children properly. Think of the difference it would make if fathers would teach their children properly. Down deep it is a spiritual problem. J. Vernon McGee writes, “The real difficulty is that in man there is not that love and longing for God and for the things of God.” If man truly loved God they would desire that their children would also love Him.
Parents are responsible for the existence of their children: conception, nurturing, education. “The child is given to its parent by God in its undeveloped moral condition, but God retains His own inheritance in the gift. He looks for nurture, for cultivation. He demands from the parent such a fulfillment of parental duties as will ensure Him that His gift shall grow of more and more worth in the moral universe.” (J.L. Flores)
However, there is a second requirement presented–Listen! The neglect of listening to instruction is a sin against self, society, and God. It is up to the child to receive the Word and instruction of their parents and cherish it. There must be the willingness to be taught, for a computer mind is not enough to make it through this world and into eternity, wisdom is needed. Wisdom, proper teaching/instruction should be taught from one generation to the next. It is the way to preserve truth, heritage, and traditions.
The father is depicted as giving good doctrine, or precepts. Know this, that good doctrine, instruction in life, brings good character. However, is starts with the right concept of God. J.L. Flores reminds us that there “can be no right feelings towards God unless there has been right teaching about Him.” That, first of all is the responsibility of the home, not the state. Listen – without good character the result is bad character. Without the proper knowledge of God there cannot be good character. Flores states, “A man must know God as He is before he can begin to follow Him. There must be a true mirror to give correct reflection.” But if the father, the mother, is not diligent in their teaching and if the child does not care to listen the result is a confused, chaotic society.
This world is a big, bad, mad, and evil place therefore–LISTEN! Get wisdom, hold fast to it, then live the life properly as you have been taught. Someone has used the illustration that God is calling out to us, “Come and get it.” First is the call for salvation, to accept Jesus Christ, and second, is the call to believers to gain understanding from God’s Word. The primary item on the menu in Proverbs is that of wisdom–come and get it. Embrace the security, honor, and beauty that it offers. Realize that most of society’s problems are a mistaken view of God and the lack of proper teaching to the children. A mistaken view of God brings with it soul disease.
Know this that is it up to us as parents and as “students” to give out God’s Word, to listen to God’s Word, and then to obey it. “There’s a price to pay if you want to know God’s truth and obey it.” (Wiersbe). There is also a price to pay, an eternal one, if the truth of God is not accepted. Listen now and obey.