The Vital Instruction of Parents

Prov. 1:8---My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

           

             My son, hear the instruction of thy father - Immediately after the key verse of the Book, we have the divine instruction regarding the family. Solomon, as a concerned father, mentions first “my son.” (Could this be a reference to his son Rehoboam?) The exhortation is to "hear the instruction (reproof, warning) of thy father." The father is not just the "sperm donor" and bread winner of the family, but leader and instructor. He, along with the mother, is the first representative of God to that boy. Verse 7 speaks of the "fear of the LORD" as vital to instruction; here that instruction is deposited in a father and mother to be "fed" or transferred to the child. It all begins at home.

            Forsake not the law of thy mother - While the father instructs (warns, reproves, etc.), the mother gives "law" or precepts to be followed. This is a team effort in the home, setting the pace for the son's future. He is to "hear" or obey his father and not "forsake" his mother's teaching. That's two sides of the same coin--to obey is not to forsake or ignore. It's one thing to hear the words; it's another to heed the words. Parenting is a full time job and so is growing up.

            We see here the real foundation of a godly home, out of which comes true success. We are spending too much time and energy teaching children how to make a living without teaching them how to live. One of my mentors used to say: "If you ever learn how to live, you'll never have a problem making a living." No wonder there’s been such a satanic attack against the family.