10:1—”A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.”
“A wise son” is a young adult whose aim, affections, decisions, and lifestyle correspond to and demonstrate love for the Lord and faithfulness to His Word. In contrast, “a foolish son” rejects the Lord and lives a self-centered, self-fulfilling life. No matter how great your earthly accomplishments may be, your life is a waste if you reject Lord.
Godly parents teach, train, discipline, and admonish their children in the Lord’s ways. They know the blessings of following the Lord and the perils of living by one’s own understanding (9:10-18). Children can be taught, trained, and encouraged to fear of the Lord, but they must decide whether to follow Christ or reject him.
What joy and gladness godly parents have when their children love the Lord! What heartache and sadness they have when their children don’t!
Children are often told they can be and do whatever they want. No, they can’t! They shouldn’t be taught this, they should be taught to fear the Lord! That is the way of foolishness, bringing them only sorrow, trouble, and death, and grief to godly parents. Young person, your choices don’t just affect you, they affect generations (parents, grandparents, your children and grandchildren).
- Young person, it’s always been “popular” to reject godly parents’ instruction and guidance, but who loves you, the world, or your parents?
- Young people, think—how do your parents feel about what you say, do, dress, who and what you like, what you read, listen to, and watch? Do they rejoice, or are they pained? They care—do you?
- Parents, what are you teaching and training your children toward? It’s not just what you say to them, but also how you live before them. Do you consider the long-term effects of your parenting?
- Parents, how do you feel if your children are warm to the things of the world and cold to the things of the Lord? What are you doing about it?