Prescribing Proverbs – RX Twenty-Two
August 22nd, 2021
A Proverb a day keeps Untruth away
Proverbs 1:1-6, ‘These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David’s son, Israel’s king—written down so we’ll know how to live well and right, to understand what life means and where it’s going; a manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair; to teach the inexperienced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. There’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.’ (MSG)
Prescription (RX) Twenty-Two: Smile! You are on Candid Camera
Proverbs 22:6, ‘Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.’ (TPT)
We all know that children are mimics. If there is something you don’t want your child to say or do, don’t say or do it in front of them, right?! In fact, we have to be so cautious when our children and grandchildren are young, about everything they witness from others and especially from ourselves. Every word which flows from our mouths, every television show or movie that is given credence in our homes, all the comments we make about others either favorable or unfavorable, each of the secrets, any habits, all things we might wish to keep hidden and to ourselves—it can be used as ammunition against us in the wrong hands.
I don’t know if you have ever been around a child, whether your own or someone else’s, when a ‘bad’ word slips out of his/her mouth. Isn’t it interesting? because everyone looks around with a surprised look on their faces and mutters, ‘Well, I don’t know where they heard that at?!’ or ‘Wonder where that came from?!’
What about the child who suddenly remarks that Aunt Sally sure has gained a lot of weight or Uncle Bob can’t keep his hands to himself or Cousin Tim must have fallen off the wagon again. Or ‘Don’t tell anybody because I’m not supposed to tell anybody, but Daddy said so-and-so is turning out just like her mother!’ or ‘Dad, you’re not going to go looking like a fool again, are you?’ or ‘You wouldn’t catch me dead looking like that!’ All of those statements our young hear us say, and then we shush them, put our hands on our hips and chastise them for saying something unkind or untruthful.
But, truly, it’s just really unfair when all they are doing is repeating what they heard behind closed doors or what we mumbled under our breaths or echoing what they listened to us gossip to someone else about! Talking behind someone’s back within their range of hearing, and then acting astounded when a child says it aloud—or worse yet, being upset for what they were merely regurgitating—is murky water and uncouth. It is ridiculous to threaten to wash out their mouth with soap ‘if they ever say another ‘bad’ word again!’ if we as their examples walk around in their presence, outside of the presence of people we are trying to impress, with curse and cuss words upon our lips. When we talk badly about others and gossip, then become angry with our children for, let’s be honest, ‘tattling on us’ is not exemplary behavior.
But, just as we say things about others, use foul language and don’t always use nice words in safe places, we also are being watched and imitated by our children in all other areas of our lives as well. Maybe your teenager refuses to go to church. Perhaps your little one doesn’t want to say prayers or read Bible stories. It could be your grown kids have nothing to do with the Lord and are making hasty choices. Keep praying. Keep setting the example. Continue sharing with them what Jesus is doing in your life and in the lives of others. Tell them about the miracles and the answered prayers and the changes Jesus is making in people’s lives. They are listening even when their music is blaring because they are watching. Seeds are being planted even though it seems they are being wasted. They are doing what seeds do: they fall on hard, dry soil where they eventually get sifted into the deep, dirty darkness. Unseen, they germinate and begin to do what seeds were meant to do. They fight to survive and take root, sprout and grow.
If you give up, they receive no nurturing and they will die. But if you keep on doing what you think is a waste, something you planted will someday take hold and develop, cultivate, mature and finally flourish. So, never give up. Your children and mine ultimately will not depart from whatever seeds we planted in their soil, good or bad, life or death, victory or defeat. Surprise! We are being watched! All the time.
