30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down. 32 Then I saw and considered it;
I looked and received instruction. 33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest, 34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
REFLECTION:
These few proverb verses warn of the evil consequences of laziness and teach us to be vigilant at all times in our lives, to take precautions for everything, and to have a sense of alertness, otherwise danger and corruption will come quickly. This is not just a reminder that we must be prepared for everything in our lives, but more of a spiritual reminder. Our spiritual growth is like sailing against the current. If we relax, we will retreat for a thousand miles and we will be caught by the devil’s tricks. The devil often uses laziness and slack to cage us, allowing us to unknowingly retreat in our daily comfort. When we are awakened, the spiritual land has been overgrown with thorns and weeds, and there is no place for crops to grow. Reflect if you are living a “comfortable” Christian life? May you be enlightened by these few proverb verses, wake up from your comfortable sleep, serve faithfully in the church, build God’s house together with your brothers and sisters, and have daily devotion diligently. Cultivate your own spiritual fertile land so that your life will have a rich harvest.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to make you understand that spiritual growth is like riding a boat against the current and retreating without advancing, so that you can get out of your comfort zone, entrust yourself to God, and let God lead your way and shape your life. Ask God to give you more perseverance and diligence, serve in more church ministries, and persevere in Bible reading, devotion, and praying every day, living a holy life, leaving no place for the devil, and walking in God’s way without slacking.
22Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. 25 Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
REFLECTION:
The verses in the previous chapter exhort us on how to discipline children as parents, and the verses in this chapter teach us how to listen to the teachings of parents and ask their wisdom for guidance from the children’s perspective. We do this to please our parents as well as to please God. This does not mean that parents are always correct so we have to obey them unconditionally. Their thinking and value may be different from ours, their mental strength may decline due to old age, and their lives may also deviate from God, but none of this allows us to despise them. We should treat our parents with kindness and filial piety, and commemorate their hard work in bringing us up. The greatest filial piety to our parents is not merely to provide for them with abundant material conditions, but to walk in humility on the path that God has ordained, and respect our parents, listen to their words, and help them not to deviate from God’s way when growing old. Together you and your parents will have an abundant spiritual life in God.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to help you to respect and obey your parents more, and be a humble listener of your parents. Try hard to obey their wisdom teachings, be compassionate to their weaknesses, and never contempt. Pray for God to strengthen your faith, be a good testimony to your parents, and strive to walk with them on the path God ordained.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it…
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him…
17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge, 18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips. 19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you. 20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge, 21 to make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
REFLECTION:
Children often do stupid and dangerous things because they do not understand the seriousness of the consequences. Even if parents set an example for their children, they may not be able to pass wisdom and knowledge to the next generation. Parents must teach carefully so that their children can learn wisdom. The “rod of discipline” (v15) represents all kinds of discipline or training, not just beating. Just as God disciplines and corrects us and makes us improve, parents must also discipline our children so that they can discern right from wrong. The original meaning of “in the way he should go” (v6) is “teaching in the way of the children”. Many parents want to train their children to be the same as themselves, or train them in the same way they have experienced. Other parents always want to arrange everything for their children, which is harmful to their children. Parents should recognize the characteristics God has given to each child, teach them according to God’s will, and cultivate them into people who are pleasing to man and God, and possess independent ability and heavenly wisdom. At the same time, we ourselves should strive to seek God’s wisdom, listen to God and rely on God in everything, so that we can teach by example rather than preaching, and make our children walk in the way they should go.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to give you a heart of obedience, so that you can discipline your children according to God’s will, not your own will. Pray for God to give you more wisdom, so that you can better understand the characteristics of your children and discipline them accordingly. Ask God to strengthen your faith, even if your children are grown up. You can use your own example to influence them so that they will not deviate from God’s path.
