A WISE SON – Proverbs 13 Wisdom Challenge.

A WISE SON

A wise son listens to his father’s instructions. A father’s role is to educate his sons to become wise men. If a father’s instruction to his son is only, ‘Do as I tell you, not as I do’, then he is not a wise father, nor a good role model.

Lets dive right into wisdom and get understanding. Like yesterday, read the chapter, and I will give some thoughts at the end.

Learn something new each day.
Discover something deeper.

PROVERBS 13 THIRTEEN

1 A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scorner hears not rebuke.

2 You will eat the good from the fruit of your mouth, but the soul of transgressors is for violence.

3 Keep your mouth, and you will keep your life; but in the widening of the lips there is destruction.

4 The soul of the sluggard longs, but the soul of the diligent makes fat.

5 The righteous hates the lying of the wicked and their loathsome shame.

6 Righteousness keeps the upright in the way, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

7 There are rich, though they are poverty-stricken, yet have they great riches.

8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but the poverty-stricken hears no rebuke.

9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

10 With pride comes contention, but wisdom is with the well-advised.

11 Wealth gotten by vanity diminishes, but those that gather it by work will increase.

12 Hope deferred weakens the heart, but when desire comes, it’s a tree of life.

13 Whoever despises the word will be destroyed, but those who fear his commandment will be rewarded.

14 The law for the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death.

15 Good understanding gives favor, but the way of transgressors is hard.

16 The prudent deals with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into mischief, but a faithful ambassador is health.

18 Poverty and shame come to the one that refuses instruction, but everyone who regards reproof will be honored.

19 Desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, but it is an abomination to a fool to depart from evil.

20 Walk with the wise, and you will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed.

21 Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous good will be recompensed.

22 A good inheritance is for the grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners is laid up for the righteous.

23 Much food is in the soil of the poverty-stricken, but they are destroyed for lack of judgment.

24 He that spares the rod hates his son, but he that loves him will seek to chasten him diligently.

25 The righteous eats to the satisfaction of his soul, but the belly of the wicked decreases.

My Thoughts:

A wise son listens to his father.  Likewise, a wise daughter would adhere to her mother’s advice. Take note: he didn’t say a smart son, but a wise son. They are two distinct persons. Smart people flex their brain muscle, but a wise man shows forth his heart in a matter. Smart people go to college and university; wise sons and daughters are homeschooled by their parents, rich or poor.

A wise son listens to his father’s instructions. A father’s role is to educate his sons to become wise men. If a father’s instruction to his son is only, ‘Do as I tell you, not as I do’, then he is not a wise father, nor a good role model. Good fathers leave an inheritance for their children. If wealth is all a child inherits, then that child will remain poor forever. For this reason, some dare to engage in philanthropy. They do good, but they still lack one thing.

You see, Jesus once told a story of a rich dad and a poor dad who died one after the other. The poor dad was a poor man who sat begging daily at the rich dad’s gate, but the rich dad had no soul for the poor man’s suffering. The rich dad was raised to work hard and achieve his goals. He did well; he became a doctor, and his brothers became lawyers and judges of the land. And each week they would throw a party, and whatever was left, the dogs ate. But none went to the beggar at the gate. His family was the same. Rich and selfish.  They all did the same as they enjoyed their privileged lives in the spotlight.

But tragedy struck, and the rich man died unexpectedly. The poor dad’s body was cremated because he could not afford a proper burial, but the rich man had a celebrity funeral with attendees who did not even know the man. But instead of joining the poor dad in paradise, the rich dad ended up in Hades, where the wicked go.

It was hot and terrible, but the rich dad could still recognize Abraham from the other side. So he yelled and begged that Abraham would send the poor beggar to bring him a drop of water, even though he never cared to help the poor dad or his poor children. But Abraham replied, ” Since there is such a great gorge between us, it’s not possible for Lazarus to reach you, even if he wanted to.

Then the rich dad made a final wish: please send someone to warn my family so they escape the fires of hell here below. Again, Abraham replied: they have the law and the prophets; if they will not hear and obey them, they won’t even hear a messenger come back from the dead. Pause for a second: Isn’t this true to this day? There are people who have gone to heaven and returned to tell their story. And others went to hell and somehow came back from the dead, yet people still will not hear them to repent and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation.

The rich dad was rich, but he was not wise. Proverbs teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Intelligent people don’t fear God. Their knowledge teaches them that God doesn’t exist. They are the professors of universities; they are the leaders of the world forum. They are smart to send their kids off to school to get a good education, but they send them off to the colleges, with teachers and professors that are wise according to the standards of this world but fools in God’s eyes. Whoever says there is no God is a fool. Perhaps you too have been taught by a man with lots of worldly wisdom, but a fool on his way to hell, where there are no refreshments, air conditioners, or entertainment for the rich.

Verse 13 is the key scripture for the day: He who despises the word will be destroyed. God sends his word to heal you, but if you despise his word or reject his word, you will be destroyed. John wrote and testified: In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. And the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his glory, that of the only begotten of the Father. John 1:1-14

Jesus was a wise son who listened to the instruction of his Father in heaven. He even proclaimed. The words that I speak are not my own, but those of him who sent me. And who sent Jesus? God sent his word. And Jesus is that word. Proverbs warns everyone: do not despise the word, lest you be destroyed. Keep his word in your heart. Meditate on his word day and night. His word is a lamp to your feet, and a light to your path, so you wont stumble in darkness. And not to have the light of Jesus Christ in your life is to stumble in darkness, whether you have a PHD or any other fine degree.

Be wise now, and listen to the instruction of your heavenly Father. His instruction is this: Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. His instruction is that you would bless people and not curse them. His instruction is to do good to all men, not just to those whom you love. His instruction is to honor all men and to give to God what belongs to him, and to give to Ceasor what belongs to Ceasor. His instruction is to hear his son, to believe in his son, and for you to be baptised for the remission of your sins. It is not a request; it is the instruction of your Father. His instruction is life, so you can escape his wrath to come. Jesus came as the word of God. He spoke the word of God. He is the word of God, in whom there is life for all who believe and obey the instruction of their heavenly Father. In doing so, you will escape death below. Blessings.

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Tomorrow, we will continue our Proverbs 31 Days Wisdom Challenge for more wisdom.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE 31 DAYS WISDOM CHALLENGE

For the love of Paris France