Proverbs 15:19-20

¹⁹The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father but a foolish man despises his mother.

Old Acquaintance

Old acquaintances talked about their retirement plans. The introvert friend said, “I would like to live quietly in the countryside. ”The other retiree claimed, “I want to live anywhere near my grandchildren. I want to help my children and take care of their children. ”The former emphasized, “Well, I never asked my parents to help me take care of my children. So, I think that my children will do well in their parenting responsibilities, too.” “You can say that now, but you will find out that it will be different story when your grandchildren comes,” the latter warned.

Someone said, “Once you become parents, you will always be parents to your children!” Actually, grandparents are great influence to their grandchildren. Many grandparents pamper or spoil their grandchildren. And many grandchildren would listen to their grandparents rather than to their parents. So, what is biblical instruction for grandparent’s responsibility toward grandchildren?

Apostle Paul wrote about parents and grandparents in 2 Timothy 1:5:

⁵I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

First, his grandma Lois and then his mother Eunice practiced faith that they taught Timothy. Their lifestyle may have strongly influenced Timothy to practice his faith. And Apostle Paul was persuaded that Timothy had genuine faith.

The spiritual practices of grandparents and parents are essential influence to the spiritual upbringing of children. It’s up to individual children to follow what’s best for themselves, but parents should teach the way on how children behave.

1.  The Way

¹⁹The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

There are complaints that many people are poor and rich people are few. Most rich people push themselves in doing productive activities. In comparison, people in poverty may not be sluggard or lazy. The poor could be very busy but not necessarily productive. Unproductive laziness is a result of human sinfulness. And the lazy sluggard people may indulge themselves in unproductive activities.

In comparison, to be actively productive is godly attribute. Can you accept that? Actually, Jesus Christ declares in John 5:17,¹⁷In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

There is time to work, and there is time to rest. To rest during time to work is not admirable at all. To work when it is time to work is a godly manner then rest when it is time to rest. It says, “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns.”

How do you interpret that and also, “but the path of the upright is a highway?”

When the Holy Spirit empowers us, we can interpret the Scripture properly. The upright and godly person won’t follow way of the sluggard filled with thorns. It is not pleasant path but why do lazy people follow it? Probably, the lazy sluggard just cannot conceptualize that there are ways better than ways filled with thorn.

The term “sluggard” is commonly interpreted as lazy or idle. But it’s also properly translated as unfaithful servant. One biblical example is the parable of bags of gold in Matthew 25:14-18,¹⁴It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Christ compared the kingdom of God to a man who entrusted bags of gold to his servants. The servants who received more bags of gold were productive. In contrast, the servant who received one bag of gold was never productive. When it says, “The path of the upright is a highway,” do you believe that the Lord makes us more productive and avoid being sluggard if we follow his righteous path?

Christ the author of our life gave us the Spirit of wisdom to be productive. Pray that Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God have authority over your life. Expect that he empowers you to be productive practically and spiritually.

In the parable of the bags of gold, the servants who were productive were rewarded greatly while the unfaithful lazy servant was punished. Don’t you agree that it was smart for the man to give more gold to his productive servants? If he gave more gold to his lazy servant, he would have wasted his resources, right?

Similarly, the Lord is smart and gives more to productive people and let the lazy people have less. So if you wish that God will bless you more, pray that you will use the resources that God gives you more responsibly and productively.

How do you interpret what Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17? I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

The more we come to know the ways of God the more we know that his ways were designed for our betterment, and we follow him. Keep seeking to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Be more familiar of the Scripture to better know the ways of God. It is smart and wise priority for believers.

2.  The Wise

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. 

Children: Do you assume that you’re required to make your parents joyful?

Some children strive hard in their studies to make their parents happy. They may not necessarily explain literally and eloquently the logic of making their parents happy but biblically, wise and smart children bring joy to their parents.

In contrast, it is foolishness to despise, hate or deride mothers. There are time when mothers can be very animated and dramatic, but it is not valid reason to scorn them. Of course, foolish people cannot understand this biblical advice. But believers inspired by the Holy Spirit can wisely respect mothers.

King Solomon

When king Solomon was installed as king of Israel, he asked the Lord for wisdom. How did King Solomon know that God gave him wisdom?  The very first case in which he administered justice was between two mothers who claim that their child is alive, and the dead child was child of the other mother.

Together, let us reflect on what it narrated in 1 Kings 3:23-28,²³The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”²⁴Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. ²⁵He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”²⁶The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”²⁷Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”⁸When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

Obviously, mothers truly care for the child they gave birth to. This narrative reveals that even if mothers suffer sadness of separation from their children, they sincerely care for the welfare and future of their children. Certainly, smart and wise children can recognize and appreciate the sacrifices of their mothers.

And the Lord blesses even more the wise and smart children who bring joy to their parents. Why? Seriously reflect on what it declared in Ephesians 6:1-3:

¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Parents: Do not force your children to follow this godly command. Why? Only wise and smart children can understand and obey this godly command. The human foolishness is to disobey God. We obey God frequently as we grow in our faith. So,  pray that your children will grow mature in their faith in God, and God will bless them even more when they start obeying and giving honor to parents.

A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Smart believers are wise to obey God, and they bring joy to their parents.

Indeed, it is a joy for parents to have children who obey the Lord.

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