November 27
PROVERBS 20
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
– Proverbs 20:11-15
PROVERBS 20 A CHILD’S ACT EXPOSES HIS CONDUCT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Even if a child is very young, his actions speak of his conduct
At an early age, we can already gauge his nature
It is the responsibility of parents to discipline their children
If they do not train them in righteousness, they will stray
If they give in to every whim and will of their child
They will pave the way to the path to wickedness
But if they teach them the laws of the Lord
They will not be selfish; they’ll overcome this world.
How many times have we witnessed individuals who were left on their own, without the guidance of an adult? Most of them end up juvenile delinquents, have a mental disorder or just lost and messed up. But if the Lord has chosen them, they will eventually be led to find the right path to life which the Lord also provides to those whom he loves. Many parents who haven’t healed from their wounds as children perpetuate the same wounds that have been inflicted on them by their parents or early caregivers. Until their sins are exposed in the light, they continue to propagate the sins that they have inherited from their parents to the next generations after them. Solomon speaks about this in verse 11. He says that at an early age, we can already detect which way they will go. If parents do not direct them in the right path, they will definitely choose the path to wickedness.
REFLECTION
• What makes parents fail to raise their children in the fear of the Lord?
