A STUDY OF WISDOM FROM THE
BOOK OF PROVERBS
The Values Produced by
Wisdom
Proverbs
13:1-15 SCC 9/18/15
THE VALUE OF PARENTAL LOVE
Accepting Parents Discipline
13:1:
The wise listen to instruction and respond properly to discipline. It’s also
possible to raise scorners who think they know what is best and not teachable
through discipline. In Proverbs, and throughout the Bible, parents have the responsibility for raising their children, but
they are not responsible for the character of their children. You might think,
“What did I do wrong? What sin did I commit? What mistake did I make?” If one committed sins, they should
repent. If one made mistakes, they
should learn and change. But just because things are difficult does not mean we
sinned or made mistakes. There are two other significant factors—the sovereignty
of God and the character of other people. Parents have responsibilities and
children have responsibilities, but neither is responsible for the character of
the other. Parent’s discipline and children must respond to that
discipline—their response is crucial.
Leaving
an Inheritance
13:22:
Solomon says one helps his or her grandchildren by including them in the will.
In Israel blessing extended to the righteous who would have something to pass
on while the sinner would have nothing to bequeath. The responsibility of a
parent is to leave an inheritance for the next generation. One’s responsibility
to his or her children is not over when we are older and they are on their own.
We should leave behind something, which can help them financially. Wealth, be
it small or large, should flow through the generations. It is not something any generation should use up or spend on
themselves. The amount we should pass on is dependent on our life situation
and how much God has given us. But there is no biblical rule, which says each
child, should start from scratch. A child is to be responsible for what he has
but not necessarily to start over.
Administering
Correction
13:24:
A responsibility of a loving parent is to discipline his children. There are
two significant issues:
The
Nature of Discipline
Parents are called upon to discipline
their children, not punish them. Punishment is the infliction or imposition of
a penalty as retaliation for an offense. Discipline is the practice of training
people to obey rules or a code of behavior. Punishment is paying back a person
for what they have done. It is an attempt to balance the scales of justice.
Discipline has nothing to do with justice or pay back. Discipline is about
getting someone who has wandered off the path back on the path, or keeping them
on the path. It is corrective not punitive.
So parents should never punish their children but discipline their children.
The
Role of Spanking
(1) Spanking should be part of a
parent’s disciplinary process. If you do not spank at all, you will not be able
to deal with some disciplinary issues. Most children some of the time, and some
children most of the time, respond to spankings. If you refuse to spank your
child, you will probably be neglecting some aspect of his or her development.
(2) Some issues require spanking because
spanking can force a child to abandon his or her own value system, which is usually
based on selfishness. Spankings are helpful when a child doesn’t get it. When
he or she doesn’t understand right and wrong, he can understand pain.
(3) Spanking should not be your only
disciplinary tool. In Proverbs, children were disciplined with instruction,
restriction of activities, and scolding. Also
the rod of correction in Proverbs is sometimes metaphorical for discipline in
general. And some children seem to have a cast iron bottom, and spankings
are not very effective. Things like age, sex, physical condition, and the
personality of the child determine the effectiveness of spankings. The parent
who just spanks a child for every offense is not communicating very
effectively.
THE
VALUE OF HAPPINESS IN LIFE
Happiness
is a result of fulfilled desire
13:12:
It is invigorating to realize one’s hopes and to fail to do
so can be discouraging—even depressing. In a sense, it is a cure for the
sluggard. The sluggard is lazy because he has no hopes and desires v 4. The solution for the sluggard is
to find some. A person without desire is incapable of happiness. Fulfilled
hopes and desires are the honey of life, which should be eaten for it is good.
Perhaps believers should make it part of their task to help others realize
their hopes whenever possible. We cannot live without having some future desires,
which I expect, will happen.
Happiness
is related to a true sense of satisfaction
13:19:
Satisfaction and joy come when a hope is realized. Yet fools continue on in
their sin implying that their hopes are unfulfilled. Their chaotic lifestyle
prevents genuine joy from fruitful hopes. Solomon is only discussing happiness
on earth. There is no consideration in Proverbs of eternal life, salvation, or
life with God in heaven. So any New Testament directives concerning our eternal
state would trump these principles of earthly happiness. Nonetheless, we all
currently live on earth, so these principles are still very timely. Proverbs
teaches people to make their desires good so that fulfilling them is a cause
for pleasure and joy during one’s lifetime.
THE
VAUE OF POSITIVE CHARACTER QUALITIES
1.
A wise man
does not always say what he thinks v 2-3. He is able to restrain his lips,
conceal matters that don’t need to be said, and ponder his thoughts without
speaking. He allows his heart to instruct his mouth, considers how to be
persuasive in what he says and then and only then does he speak.
2.
The righteous hates falsehood and avoids
acting shamefully v 5-6. The
idea is that the righteous’ gains perspective about what god hates v 5. That begins to shape his or her
soul. They avoid the shame of scandal, which the wicked can never quite shake.
It follows them. It marks them. Additionally, righteous living is a form of
protection v 6. The integrity it
generates is like a fortress protecting the person. By contrast, perverse and
malicious activity plunge one into a sinful tailspin.
3.
The righteous are honest and
unpretentious v 7. People may
not be what they seem to be on the surface. Some, Solomon says, who are poor
pretend to be rich, perhaps to save face, and others pretend to be poor
concealing otherwise possibly to get more out of the charade rather than using
what they already possess. An empty display either way is dishonest, smacks of
insecurity and deceit.
4.
The righteous increases wealth by steady
wise investment v 11. Here is a
warning against wild speculation. If riches come quickly through some unfounded
means it can be lost just as easily. The diligent gradual growth of one’s
investment is accumulated honestly little by little and can avoid the pitfalls
of dishonest gain.
5.
The righteous listens to instruction
rather than despise it v 13-14. Safety
lies in obedience to and application of proper instruction v 13. That is its reward. The teaching of wisdom is life-giving v 14. It gives life but it also turns
form the snares of death. However, instruction despised is paid for by the
unavoidable consequences that will be created. Those consequences are death
dealing not life-giving.
6.
The righteous are discerning about life
situations v 15-16. Wisdom and
intelligence adds to ones social esteem v
15. Their capacity for sound judgment, good sense, and wise opinions gain
them favor. The prudent knows the circumstances, dangers and pitfalls and such
knowledge makes one cautious
v 16.
In both cases, he or she is unlike the treacherous whose ways are not lasting
or the fool who exposes his folly by his or her decisions. Being teachable is a
valuable thing, but only in the context of discretion and knowledge. A fool may
be teachable in the sense of being open to the foolishness of his subculture.
So there is value in being teachable in the ways of wisdom and righteousness.
7.
The wise will find others of positive
character to associate with v 20.
Actually, Solomon indicates here that a major source of wisdom is walking with
the wise. Unfortunately, the converse is also true. Those who walk with fools
will suffer the harm fools bring upon themselves. The problem with a fool lies
in his inner spiritual nature. Therefore, he is not correctable with external
discipline.
SO
WHAT?
Wisdom adds virtue to a parents love,
happiness in life, and positive character qualities. A lack of wisdom hinders
parental love, happiness in life, and positive character and possibly
corrupting these.