Articles
Tell Your Children
Tell Your Children!
Greg King
One of the pillars of wisdom is having a teachable heart and being able to receive correction. Proverbs 9:8-9 states, “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
Proverbs 13:1 says, “A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.” Why does a father offer instruction? A wise son will take advantage of the knowledge his father has already accumulated and will accept instruction from his father. A father cares what happens to his son. He wants only the best for him. In fact, he wants his son to have a better life than he has had himself. If a son could learn this and take instruction from the father, he would be very wise.
In the Old Testament, a rebellious son was to be taken to the edge of the city and stoned to death. This was a drastic measure, but I believe we are to see in that lesson that a person who will not be instructed is headed for destruction. Loving parents rebuke their children when they are in error. If the child does not learn from the rebuke, they are headed for serious trouble. The rod of correction can drive rebellion far from a child.
Instruction or Discipline is for the well-being of a child to teach him the danger of sin and the joy of obeying God. A wise son will respond humbly to the instruction and training, and he will love his father for being willing to discipline him when he does wrong and when he defies the instruction of the Lord. Those who hate wisdom and love foolishness scoff when they are confronted with truth or correction. They despise righteousness and live only for themselves, and this will end badly for them.
Joel 1:3 says, “Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.” Just think of the heartache and trouble that could be avoided if parents would just give their children the instruction of the Lord. The word of God is the source of wisdom and instruction. Because our heavenly Father loves us, He has commanded us to listen to His word, to pay attention to His word, to observe His word, and to teach His word to our children.
Because our Father loves us, He has given us instruction and correction by way of commandments. If we want to be wise, we will pay attention to His instruction and do His commandments.
