Proverbs 4: 1-9 (ESV)
Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honour you if you embrace her.
She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
Comment
I was talking the other week to the teenage son of a very good friend of mine. He is in Senior school and in a small class of 15. He is the only one who lives with his original parents. Solomon had parents who instructed him, many these days do not. And sometimes the genetic parents don’t have much wisdom to share. So how can I ‘interpret’ this?
Thank God if you do have those sort of parents, and if you are the parents, emulate Solomon’s mother and father, in their teaching role.
If you a young person living in a tangled web, look for a wise mentor – a relative, a teacher, a wise friend. Don’t be fooled by a predator but we all need instruction in wisdom.
Don’t be satisfied until you get wisdom and insight. Then you will be truly blessed, or so Solomon claims and it makes sense to me. Does Solomon mean that you’ll get a physical crown on your head? No, but you’ll be able to hold your head high, stand straight and be the real person you are meant to be!
Prayer: Please help me to reach my full potential in the things of true worth.
As I read it! 