Information is about facts, and knowledge is about fitting related facts together. But wisdom is about using knowledge well. What now afflicts most of the culture, and even the church is that have vast storehouses of information and knowledge, but very little wisdom. Never before in human history has there been so much knowledge so widely spread among the population. For anyone with an internet connection, access to additional information is essentially limitless. In the church, Christians have never had greater access to information about the Bible and sound theology. Yet at the same time, in both the church and the world, wisdom is in decline. We take great pride in our accumulated knowledge, and our hard drives are packed […]
Proverbs
38 posts
The process of parental instruction is complete when the truth that is learned begins to protect, build up and encourage the children who receive it. Merely delivering instruction is not what is honoring to God or helpful to children Biblical instruction always has the goal blessing the one who receives it. This instruction is not primarily for the benefit of parents. Rather, the instruction parents give to children is to adorn them. In Proverbs 1:8-9, the Holy Spirit says how your words of direction should impact your children: My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. […]
Proverbs 16 has important direction for anyone in authority, especially parents. These insights help to establish authority and strengthen your parental authority. Here are some selected Proverbs from this chapter: Commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed. (Verse 3) This is the starting point. The commitment indicated here is totally to the Lord Lord because of your love for him is the focus of life. This is not so much about achieving a single objective as it is about committing all of your life to honor God. In parenting, this means a commitment to use God’s methods to accomplish God’s purpose. Authority without this commitment to God is destructive! Honest scales and balances are from […]
It seems like such a simple thing. You ask your child to do something and in response, he quietly keeps playing with his toy. You decide to press on, so you ask again, this time a little more firmly, and then one more time. Your four-year-old grudgingly, slowly does as he was told. You breathe a sigh of relief, no harm done, at least he obeyed. But actually this little boy has taken a step down the road to self-hatred. Solomon warns that those who disregard discipline despise themselves. What appears to be an inconsequential delay is actually a step towards self-hatred. The Holy Spirit provides a wake-up call in Proverbs 15:31-32: Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home […]
Solomon did not have a web page. He didn’t blog. He didn’t tweet. He wasn’t on on Snap Chat or Instagram. But he can still help you navigate the seas of social media. Here are three important terms to know when using the internet: Verify, Verify, Verify! In the world of social media, little is as it seems. You must verify that what you read and see is not just a half-truth or flat-out deception. Proverbs 18:17 says: The first to present his case in a dispute seems right, until his opponent comes and cross examines him. It is easy to accept texts, tweets, posts, emails, etc., at face value. Don’t! This isn’t cynical, but just realizing that the Bible […]
It is late in the day. You’re tired, no, make that exhausted. Your head is pounding. It’s time to fix dinner. At this moment that seems the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest in flip-flops and beach shorts. And at this precise moment a dispute breaks out about who has the gaming screen next. So you do the only thing that you seems possible. In a sharp, stern voice that is loud, but not quite yelling, you say: “That’s enough! I’ve had it. You want dinner? Then sit down, give me the iPad and don’t say another word until I call you for dinner. Do you understand!” At which point, one child starts whimpering, and the other one defiantly looks at […]
How do you represent God’s word to your children? Do you believe the words of God are life to your children or are these words more of a metaphor? Here is an illustration that shows the meaning behind my question. Suppose you gave your child a stack of twenty one dollar bills. Then you tell your child to take good care of them and they will be a blessing to him. An hour later you see your son playing in the back yard with paper airplanes. Then you realize the paper airplanes were made from the dollar bills you just gave him. What would you do? Would you think, well I am glad he is having a good time being creative? […]
Failure to discern who is a genuine, true friend and who is not, leads to being manipulated and used. This may result in, among many other things, bitterness and a crippling inability to trust others. The Holy Spirit has provided tools in Scripture to help you recognize genuine friendship. This is an essential life skill for you and your children. The Proverbs offer reliable observations about friendship. For example look at Proverbs 12:18: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” These words provide insight about how to distinguish between the wise and the reckless. The reckless or rash person’s words hurt and bring pain. They cut deeply. When someone claims to […]
It seems like such a simple thing. You ask your child to do something and in response, either by word or deed, she says no. If the day is laid back and the request seems inconsequential, the negative response might even be ignored. But, you decide to press on, so you ask again, this time a little more firmly. Your four-year-old grudgingly, slowly does as she was told. You breathe a sigh of relief, no harm done. But actually this little girl has taken a step down the road to self-hatred. Solomon warns that those who disregard discipline despise themselves. What appears to be just a small bump in the road is deceptive as to the damage that is being […]
Proverbs 16 provides wise instruction for establishing authority that will protect your children from the attacks of this world. Here are just some of the principals and their applications found in this fantastic chapter. Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. This is the starting point. The commitment indicated here is total. This verse is not to be thought of as an instant formula as in: Step one – commit my plan to God. Step two – success for my plan. The commitment mentioned here is one of giving your life totally over to God and his ways. This is not so much a single outcome as it as committing all of your life […]