March 19, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 19
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Following Scripture Verses

1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2. Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
3. The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
4. Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
5. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
6. Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7. All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
8. He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.
10. Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11. The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
12. The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
13. A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
14. House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18. Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
20. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
22. The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
23. The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24. A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25. Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
26. He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
28. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29. Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

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"A foolish son is the calamity of his father..." - Proverbs 19:13

As a father, I know that there are many things that could happen in my family that would be very difficult to handle. I am thankful that my children have all been healthy, but I know that the day may come when one of my children is seriously injured, or perhaps may become gravely ill. Hearing that news would be devastating to me. Perhaps after one of my daughters is married we will hear that something has happened to her husband, or to one of our grandchildren. Again, this would be very hard to take. Even bad news about the loss of a job or the foreclosure on a house would be very sad to learn about.

The Bible says that there is something that is a real calamity to a father. That is the realization that your child is a fool. To think that God gave a man a son, and that the father got to raise that child for eighteen or twenty-one years, and that the end result of all that training was that the boy went in the wrong direction is probably the most demoralizing thing that could take place in a man's life. Yet the truth of the matter is that many parents give very little thought to their child's spiritual destiny. They worry about the child's health, education, and career, but don't seem concerned about whether or not the child grows up to be a faithful servant of God. However, when the son winds up in jail, or married to the wrong woman, or raising the grandkids apart from the Word of God, then the parent experiences a grief like no other.

As a parent, I have the responsibility to raise my children to follow Christ. If I do my job properly, not only will they be blessed, but I will be as well.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery