Thursday, July 13, 2017

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 July 13

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:1-6)


Today’s Morsel:  How many times have you heard Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he’s old he won’t depart from it?”  But many parents are left scratching their heads when they see their kids going in the opposite directions of what they taught them.  I think the problem here is that we focus on verse 6 and miss verse 1-5.  To me, verse 6 comes through understanding verses 1-5.  But we do not focus on verses 1-5, we just focus on the promise in verse 6.  Solomon first tells you what you need to direct him in.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

1.  Teach children the importance of a good name and how to maintain a good reputation.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Character is like a tree and reputation is like the shadow of it.  The shadow is what you think of it, the tree is the real thing.”

The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

2.  Teach children that God is just.  He causes it to rain on the just and unjust.  Teach them that God is no respecter of persons.  Teach them not to be prejudice and unfair, but to treat everyone with respect.  Teach them honesty and integrity.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

3.  Teach children how to recognize dangers and walk away from them.  Teach them to flee wrong and not to join themselves to anyone who tries to draw them to do wrong.  Teach them how to be wise, sensible, careful and cautious.

By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

4.  Teach children that riches and honor come through respect, good work ethics, humility and a relationship with God.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

5.  Teach children that there are traps and pitfalls in life and that they must watch themselves and their actions so that they do not fall into those traps and pitfalls.

Once they understand this, then they will not depart from it.  Teach them and set the path for your children to follow. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:1-6).

Sing: Let me walk with you Jesus, don’t every leave me alone. For without You I could never, no never make heaven my home.

Thought For Today:  The twig grows the way it is bent.

No comments:

Post a Comment