Proverbs 17:24-25

²⁴A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. ²⁵A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

King Solomon

         King Solomon was the wisest king in Israel. If his 700 wives and 300 concubines had a child, he had thousands of children. But most of his time were spent in his responsibilities as king. He also had construction projects and businesses. He cannot be the best model of fatherhood, why? Surely, he cannot spend sufficient time for each of his thousand children. Right?

         How can parents be responsibly good example to their children? The Lord instructed in Joshua 1:8, ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

         Joshua was victorious in everything he did except for their loss in Ai. After they conquered Jericho, they failed in their first attack in Ai, why? Was it because Achan took things devoted to the Lord? Instead of asking God for help, Josua followed the suggestion of the people. Read what the spies reported about their assessment of Ai defense. It narrated in Joshua 7:3-5,

                  ³“Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or 3,000 men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” ⁴So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, ⁵who killed about thirty-six of them.

         Suggestions are useful but service to God needs his approval. Pray that our church leaders may prayerfully discern which suggestion would be approved by God. Pray also that all fathers in the church could see Joshua as their role model of parenting. Let’s learn from the testimony of Joshua in Jushua 24:15: ¹⁵But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

         It is wise to serve the Lord God. By wisdom, God created everything in heaven and on earth. He is the source of wisdom. To meditate on his word is blessedness. His word teaches the right path to his blessings.

         Some scholars suggest that King David may have learned from the wisdom of Joshua when he celebrated in Psalm 1:1-3, ¹Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ²but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

         We should be prayerful and avoid the way of sinners. May we always delight and meditate on the word of God, so that at the right timing of God, whatever we do prospers fruitfully. Of course, foolish individuals disagree. Why? Foolish eyes wander and look around for crazy ways to prosperity.

1.  Foolish Eyes

     ²⁴A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

         Wisdom has practical proofs and should not be hidden in secret files.

Why? Nobody can steal your wisdom. They may try to copy, but they could not take your skills away from you. Of course, smart people may want to learn from you when they discern productive results of your wisdom.

         In comparison, foolish eyes fail to realize how wisdom accomplish things. They may want to prove that they have better ways. Surely, they also want to be appreciated for their effort. But it is smartness to internalize the wisdom of people who have proven their skill with accomplishment.

The Queen of Sheba

         The Queen of Sheba traveled thousands of miles just listen to the wisdom of King Solomon. She said in 2 Chronicles 9:5-8, ⁵The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁶But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁷How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.

         The queen of Sheba gave 4 tons of gold, spices and precious stone to King Solomon. She was thankful she heard him. King Solomon gave all she desired more than what she brought to him. What lesson can we learn here? As proof of gratitude to the wisdom of God, we return what belongs to him, and God would give us more than what we can give him.

         Together, let us reflect on what Christ declared in Matthew 12:42,

⁴²The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

         The queen of Sheba smartly travel thousands of miles just to learn from the wisdom of King Solomon. Christ is greater than King Solomon. It is smart to listen and personally apply his instructions. As children of God, the Spirit of wisdom is with us. Anyone who ignores God is a foolish one.

2.  Foolish Child

      ²⁵A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

         Are you bothered or do you complain about this proverb? Only foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother. How about foolish daughters? Are parents not bothered if children cause them to grieve?

Accused

A man was accused of killing a soldier and her mother cried. She said that she was crying for the victims of the shooting, not her son. The mother did not know what to say to relatives of the victim. “Can you ever explain something like this?” she said. “We are sorry. I am mad at my son; I don’t understand and part of me wants to hate him at this time; I had not seen him for over five years before that, so, I have very little insight to offer.”

         Whatever reason the shooter had for his senseless act of violence, it is a realistic instance that simple foolishness of a child may bring bitterness in the hearts of his parents. How many parents are grieving because of foolish, selfish or imprudent decisions that their children have made?

         Let’s reflect on Ephesians 6:4, ⁴Parents do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

         When parents train their children in the Lord’s instruction, there’s no guarantee that children will be smart. Many godly people in the Bible like Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, Aaron, David and Job had foolish children. Does God allow foolish children for us to learn that it is wise to obey him? Indeed, we can expect blessedness when we obey the Lord.

         Parents can only do the best way they know to raise up their children but nobody can control the outcome. Parenting is actually practical way for parents to store up their treasure in heaven. God designed his commands to bless us when we obey him. May the Holy Spirit inspires us to obey him.

May the Lord help us grasp the essence of spending sufficient time reading and studying his word so that we may obey him faithfully. May we diligently serve him even more as we prepare for the return of Christ.

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