Bible in 365: Day 154
06/10/2012 at 8:42 pm 4 comments
Proverbs 4-6
There are so many great nuggets of wisdom one could take away from these three chapters, like the good old philosophy that Dave Ramsey touts of freeing yourself, like a gazelle, from the hand of the hunter (Proverbs 6:5) when it comes to financial issues.
However, overall, the biggest thing I took away from today’s reading was all about how a parent is to instruct a child. We read at the beginning of chapter 4 a plea from a father to a son to listen to his instruction. “For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. Then he taught me, and he said to me…” (Proverbs 4:3-4)
Oh how important the formative years are to a child’s life! There is so much to teach and so little time. A question to ponder: What am I teaching my child right now? What have I neglected to teach my child?
The great majority of the lessons we read that were taught from father to son are about avoiding adultery and about the dangers of sexual promiscuity. This glaringly stood out to me because I realized that it truly is the parent’s job to teach their children about sex. Too many parents let schools cover this topic, but it is the parents who need to give their children the truth regarding these matters.
I know one day I will broach this subject with my own daughter, and I am so grateful for the example set forth in these chapters of Proverbs. But, in the meantime, I will enjoy teaching her shapes and colors and letters and will continue to answer when she inquisitively asks, “What’s this?” 
Entry filed under: Bible in 365. Tags: Book of Proverbs, Child, Dave Ramsey, God, Parent.
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dougparmer | 06/10/2012 at 9:50 pm
Proverbs 4:18-19
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
This made me think of someone being dropped off deep within a cave. They’re miles from the surface with no way to tell if they’re getting closer to the mouth of the cave or farther away. Is the road safe or deadly? How many exits does each room have, and are they just moving in circles? They’ll wander about forever trying to get out and die in the process. Our search for God is the same. Our only hope would be for Him to illuminate the path – to show us where to go. It’s still a rough road ahead, but at least we know where the heck to go.
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themoptimist | 06/13/2012 at 11:55 am
Wow! When you put it that way it makes me think about how truly scary it would be to try to walk around without a lighted path. Interesting take on the subject. Thanks for sharing.
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Dawn | 06/11/2012 at 5:09 am
I know that Solomon is the one who is talking here. But I found it to seem almost as if God is actually instructing Solomon (and us). Each chapter starts with “Listen my son to your father’s instruction…” The person who pays attention to the things his parents teach him is someone who should be able to discern what’s good and what’s foolish.
4.
themoptimist | 06/13/2012 at 11:49 am
I definitely think God instructed Solomon, but I also think God speaks through parents (who are following Him) by pouring out wisdom on the children.