June 8, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The book of Proverbs is a collection of short sayings in the Old Testament meant to instill\u00a0wisdom\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>in God\u2019s people. As we read, it is important to remember that a proverb is a statement which is\u00a0generally<\/em> true in principle, not a\u00a0universally\u00a0<\/em>true promise. Let\u2019s dig into the Word together and allow the Lord to shape our hearts, our minds, and our lives in his wisdom over the next month!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proverbs 22 communicates God\u2019s wisdom on wealth, poverty, and discipline before beginning the 30 \u201csayings of the wise\u201d which will go on for the next chunk of the book. There are multiple verses concerning the raising of children, such as the famous principle of verse 6 (it is incredibly important to remember here that these are generally true principles and not universally true promises!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Verse 15 asserts that \u201cFolly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.\u201d The statement implies something that any parent knows all too well; children don\u2019t have to learn foolishness, rebellion, or disobedience. They know it inherently from a very early age! <\/p>\n\n\n\n The rest of the proverb affirms the pivotal importance of disciplining children in order to drive that inherent folly and rebellion from their hearts! What is true of earthly parents and children is also true of us with our Heavenly Father; we don\u2019t have to learn to rebel against His authority, we do it instinctively! Sin is the most natural thing for us, and it takes mercy and discipline to drive it out of us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as we are called to raise our children in the instruction and discipline of the Lord, God disciplines His children in order to drive folly out of our hearts, in order to lead us to repentance! It is important to remember that God\u2019s discipline and judgment is always a mercy to us because it always has as its purpose to lead us back to God\u2019s way which, as we have discovered in our journey through Proverbs, is the only way to true and full life and joy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our God, in His mercy, intentionally allows trials and hardship to come on us because, just like an earthly parent with their children, He knows what we don\u2019t know, He sees what we can\u2019t see, and He loves us enough to zealously pursue our hearts, even if that means temporary suffering, pain, or discomfort for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n