A Picture Of Proverbs
Dads, my familiar experience of cutting the grass the other day was interrupted by an unfamiliar sight. I pushed the mower to the end of a long row, tipped up the front wheels, and swung my Toro in a tight circle, only to find my path blocked by my three-year old pushing one of his toys. I immediately understood: Jack was imitating his daddy, helping to cut the grass with his “mower.”

My next thought was: “hey, this is how Proverbs is supposed to work.” A son following in his father’s footsteps and learning how to navigate life. Later, a different thought popped into my head, the same way a pinecone thumps into the lawnmower bag: “No, this isn’t how Proverbs is intended to work at all.”

I realized that I did not teach Jack about cutting the grass. He just started following my example. My example for my son is extremely important, but the book of Proverbs is about instruction. It’s about a father taking time–a lot of time–to speak to his boy about the opportunities and dangers of life. Over and over, the father in Proverbs appeals to his son on the basis of his instruction and teaching–his words to his son. Examples:

• Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching… (1:8)
• My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you… (2:1)
• My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments… (3:1)
• Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight (4:1)
• Hear, my son, and accept my words… (4:10)
• My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. (4:20)
• My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, (5:1)
• And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. (5:7)
• My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. (6:20)
• My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you… (7:1)
• And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. (7:24)

All of these examples come just from the first seven chapters! There is a clear priority here on a father’s instruction to his Son. A son needs to be instructed in the full range of topics that Proverbs addresses: God, work, money, family, friends, sex, leisure, and more. The topics for discussion aren’t limited to the book of Proverbs; I think we get a taste of the most important area for instruction in Romans 10:14, 17:

“But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

The most important instruction we can pass on to our sons is not a lesson to learn, but truth to believe. It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ, perfect mediator, come to take away the sins of the world. Above all, we must be sure this lesson gets taught.

How would you assess your instruction to your son? The content, frequency, duration, and depth? Is it sufficient? Let’s make this a topic of conversation with our wives and the men in our caregroups. Let not our boys reach the end and say they didn’t know what to do.

Categories: Thursday Thoughts For Parents, five15 blog