“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
~ Proverbs 1:8
Hi James and Ellen,
Is your knowledge growing? Knowledge comes from facts and information. Are you learning a lot of facts? Are you accumulating a lot of information? Do you like to learn facts? Do you like to accumulate information? Are you learning a lot of facts and information from watching programs that are on TV? Are you learning a lot of facts and information from doing computer web searches? Are your learning a lot of facts and information from your teachers? From who or what do you think that you should be learning facts and information? Who would Solomon say should be teaching you facts and information? Do you think that Solomon learned a lot from his dad and ma? David was Solomon’s dad. Bathsheba was Solomon’s ma. Bathsheba became David’s wife after David requested that Bathsheba’s husband be put on the frontline of a battle where he was subsequently killed. David is known as a ‘man after God’s own heart’. David wrote songs praising God. David wrote psalms thanking God. David knew God as his Father God. How to you think that David was as an earthly father? David did things which did not please his Heavenly Father. David probably wanted the very best for his kids but through how he lived his own life, David had to have conveyed to his kids that having a lot of wives, a lot of wealth and being the leader of a large army was very important. Even though David would wake up to the fact that he made an egregious error in judgement – after God gave him a heartbreaking wakeup call by having his kid die, and even though David confessed his culpableness, Solomon’s life would still be influenced by a dad who wished for or who wanted things that were not his to have. What kind of an example is your dad setting for you? What does your dad want the most out of life for himself? Do you see your dad – through his life examples, always pleasing and blessing his Heavenly Father? As you grow older, do you want to be like your dad? Ask your dad if he would like you to be like him when you grow older.
Something that David is remembered for are the psalms that he wrote. Many of the psalms that David wrote are remembered in the Psalms Book. Something that Solomon is remembered for are the proverbs that he said and were recorded. Many of these proverbs that Solomon said and were recorded are remembered in the Proverbs Book. A proverb is a mini message. A proverb is a short word of wisdom. A proverb is a statement of absolute truth. Who do you think taught Solomon the ability to formulate proverbs? Right after Solomon was officially appointed to be Israel’s third king, Solomon sacrificed to God a very large offering of sacrifices. Because God was pleased with the large amount of sacrifices that Solomon made to Him. God promised Salomon that He would give to Solomon what Solomon wanted the most in life. What would you ask God for – if God one day said to you that He would give you whatever you wanted the most in life? Solomon could have asked God for a lot of money or Solomon could have asked God to have him honored by every guy, gal or kid as someone important or Solomon could have asked God to protect him from being killed by whatever or whoever but instead, Solomon asked God for wisdom. God kept His promise to Solomon. God gave Solomon wisdom. Solomon would accumulate a lot of knowledge; Solomon though it seems would not do a good job of turning the knowledge that he accumulated into wisdom. Wisdom is always having and showing good judgment about doing something or about a guy, gal or kid. Wisdom is always knowing the right way to do something or the right words to say to a guy, gal or kid about whatever. Wisdom is insight, astuteness and acumen. Wisdom is learned from knowledge. If you really want wisdom, you first need to accrue knowledge. Are you turning facts and information into wisdom? Your dad and ma per Solomon should be the ones who are teaching you knowledge. Your grandpaa believes that aging – growing older, is the best teacher of wisdom.
Solomon begins Proverbs 1 with his personal knowledge/wisdom apologetic about accruing knowledge and gaining wisdom. Solomon in verse 8 says, “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” The verse right before this verse says that a fool is someone who hates or who despises wisdom and discipline. A way that your dad is teaching you is through discipline – just like your grandpaa and grandmaa tried to teach your dad and your Aunt Lynn when they were kids. If you are kids who have knowledge but who do not desire wisdom, you are fools. A fool looks for fights with other kids and/or with your dad and/or ma, gets angry with other kids and/or with your dad and/or ma, is filled with complacency, does not have a desire to do anything and trusts only in his or her own self and not in God. How do you want to have your lives filled? Are your dad and/or ma helping you to fill your hearts and minds with knowledge – particularly from the Bible, or are you trying to fill your own hearts and minds through your own strength and ways? Solomon did learn something special about wisdom. Solomon learned that wisdom is like a fountain – that wisdom constantly refreshed and strengthened his heart. Solomon did not always apply what he knew to be true yet . . . you can still learn a lot from what Solomon knew to be true – and to apply these truths to your lives. As you hear Solomon’s life’s mini messages being read to you by your dad and/or ma or as you personally read Solomon’s life’s mini messages, you will hear Solomon’s words telling you over and over again to not use or misuse other guys or gals to become rich and to never become trapped in a damaging relationship. Your grandpaa hopes that you are gaining knowledge now so that you will have wisdom later. Your grandpaa knows that obtaining knowledge and developing wisdom cannot be done in a lifetime.
Proverbs 1 (234)