Like so many proverbs this chapter is full of wise counsel and advice for living. Solomon doesn’t just tell a “son” the effect their behavior and decision making has on their parents, he follows that up with a clear delineation of some choices that cause that impact on their parents. As a father of 6 teenagers at one point or another in my life I have experienced the overwhelming joy of wise decisions in their life as well as the deep pain and sorrow of poor and unwise decisions. The child who grasps the emotional impact of their actions on a parents heart can at times make wise choices purely based on that understanding. That in and of itself is wisdom. When I truly began to grasp that our feelings and emotions are a reflection of being made in the image of God it had an impact on my obedience. Without a doubt the greatest motivator for my actions is the result of learning and then living God’s truth in my life. However, the realization that my behavior and motives bring God joy or sadness has also placed a check on my obedience. The very real knowledge that I can bring joy to the creator of the universe, or sadness, is almost beyond comprehension Wow! Ponder that truth for a moment. Today bless God’s heart. #BeTheEdge
“I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” Jeremiah 32:41 NIV