Proverbs 17:8-9 

⁸A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. ⁹Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Cook

         We love to eat but not everyone loves cooking. My father was really good cook. Whenever he cooked, I helped prepare the ingredients. I peeled onions, garlic or washed veggies, and I watched him cooked. He chopped veggies and other ingredients with rhythmic sound that amazed me.

         Someone said that when you cook food, the best ingredient is love. If you love cooking, you will enjoy it without any pressure. You exert the best you can. You want to improve. Likewise, if we love what we do, we enjoy it. We are not satisfied with mediocrity. Maybe, you won’t love to do anything at first try. But your love for doing good may build up after you do it again.

         What does the Scripture teach about doing good repetitively? Reflect on what it advised in Galatians 6:9? ⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

         Doing good is favorable. Example: I love to cook. I’m not wearied or tired doing the best I can to cook food for our family. So, what harvest can we reap by cooking delicious food for the family? We’ve got better health and also better relationship. If our family is satisfied with the food we cook, they’ll love us. You heard it said, “The heart is next to the stomach.”

         If you want to win the heart of people, offer delicious food to them.

Young children are not easy to feed, and parents bribe children just to eat.

1.  Come

      ⁸A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.

         A bribe is compared to precious jewel that parents use for children to obey. These days, parents bribe children with electronic gadgets to behave. Using electronic gadgets to bribe young children may have temporal relief.

Then when children wants to play the gadget, they will cry for no reason. Children behave senselessly so that their parents may pacify or appease them with gadgets. Be mindful how you may bribe children.

Computer

         When our children were younger, I required them to play guitar for an hour before they play the computer. When MP3 was popular, I promised that if they completed reading the entire Bible, I will buy them MP3.

         Playing guitar and having MP3 served their purposes eventually. Our children loved music, and they use musical talent to praise and serve God.

         Someone observed that activities that we did during childhood will be the same activities that we would love to do when we grow old. Children will reminisce and cherish activities they did together with their parents. As family, we love to sing and play musical instruments together. One of our video, we sang “Mele Kalikimaka.” It’s Hawaiian-themed Christmas song.

         If you love singing, you can influence your children to love singing. If you love cooking, baking, gardening, fishing, painting, sports or any activity, parents, those are very useful for bonding as family. Use them more often.

         The Lord gave parents the privilege to influence the future of children. Seriously pray that God reveal a career path he prepared for your children so that you may intentionally use your influence lead them to that particular path. Together, let us reflect on Deuteronomy 6:5-7, ⁵Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

         Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength is manifested in parenting. Parenting is designed by God to bless parents who love him. Teaching children about love for the Lord is obedience to him. As children follow our footsteps to prioritize the Lord, that’s priceless bonus for parents.

          Good parenting should be inspired by love for God. It is exhibited in our love for our family when we love God. Some people show love for their family because they love their status or their image. To maintain good public image many politicians would cover the offenses of their children.

2.  Cover

       ⁹Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

         To cover over an offense would fosters love. How’s that? The phrase, “Cover over an offense” is properly interpreted as “forgive an offense.” So, to forgive an offense cultivates, stimulates of encourages love. Truly, the offender may love the person who covers over or forgives his offense.

         The offender may appreciate the cover up but technically, covering criminal offense has legal consequences. Parents who cover up criminal activities of their children will be legally implicated if an evidence is found.

         Together, let’s reflect on what the Lord warned in 1 Samuel 3:11-14.

            ¹¹And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. ¹²At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. ¹³For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

         Eli the priest was the spiritual leader of Israel in his generation. He was given the responsibility to teach the Israelites about the commands of the Lord. Sadly, his children were wild, and he failed to restrain them.

         In short, Eli condoned and tolerated the wickedness of his children.

         Indeed, parents can only do the best they can to teach their children. Parents could be devoted to the Lord but children may behave otherwise. Children may decide what they want or how they may behave. Or children could devoted to the Lord but their parents may have different priorities.

         Now, how do we explain what the Lord said in Ezekiel 18:19-20?

            ¹⁹Yet you ask, “Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?” Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. ²⁰The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

         So, why was it then that Eli the Priest was punished for his failure to reprimand his sons? The sons of Eli were adults who served as priest of God. They ignored and disregarded the commands of the Lord regarding sacrifice offerings. Eli the Priest could have reprimanded them but failed.

         Anyway, will Christian parents be punished like Eli the Priest if their children desecrate the Lord Supper? Example: If children disrespect the celebration of the Lord Supper, will the church reprimand their parents? So far, we don’t have that problem yet. But if children as naughty outside church setting, what can the church do? We can pray with parents.

         This is why we encourage every church attendee to attend prayer meeting to share and pray for our personal and family concerns. We can pray for anything that may concern us, our safety, safety for everyone. We also pray that the Lord give wisdom to our government officials to decide what may favor us in relation to national issues and international tension.

         Repetition of prayer items should imply our sincerity to the matters.

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