Proverbs 23:22-25 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 23:22-25, which read,

v.22, 23 - Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.  Buy truth, and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Solomon brings up again about how we are to respond to the wisdom of our parents.  We are to listen and not despise.  It is probably one of the greatest complaints we might have of our children that they are not listening and that our teens are despising us because we are old school or not with the times.  Listen to some of these previous reminders of this.

Proverbs 1:8 - Hear, my son, your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching;...

Proverbs 2:1 - My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you,...

Proverbs 3:1 - My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;...

Proverbs 4:1 - Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding,...

Proverbs 5:1 - My son, give attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding;...

Do you see a pattern here?  And then let's throw in the 6:1 from Ephesians that we looked at previously on a Sunday morning.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Solomon then gives us the proverb that stresses how much we need to be in pursuit of wisdom.  We are to buy it and not sell it.  It doesn't mean that wisdom can be bought like a package of gum at the local five and dime but it means we need to put some of our resources forth to obtain it.  Wisdom is also something we don't sell because it is so valuable to us but it can be given away to others so they also will have wisdom as they put their personal resources out to obtain it.  Wisdom is obtained by our getting it through personal expense on every level.  It is not on the shelf in the grocery market to throw in the cart and have the barcode scanned at the till but what have you put forth to obtain wisdom?

I really like the thought here that wisdom can't sold but given away.  It protects us from all those late night infomercials that are trying to sell you so called wisdom for only 3 payments of $19.95.  

v.24, 25 - The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.  Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

We can be on a quest to please our parents and maybe for a lifetime.  What are we trying to please them with?  Is it your singing ability?  Is it your physical ability?  Is it your educational accomplishments?  Is it your net worth?  Is it your popularity?  Is it your advancements in the company?  Is it with your looks?  The proverb says that a parent who is wise in following after God greatly rejoices and is glad when we, as children of them, live righteous lives.  When we are wise to follow after God and live in respect to His words and ways then it brings gladness to our parents.  

A question to ask here is how much time do we spend on all those other things and not on the righteous living thing?  The righteous living is actually to be put in place in the pursuit of any of those other things otherwise we seek after them unwisely.  We are looking for those things to bring fulfillment but they will be short lived where on the other hand, the righteous living after God and because of His righteous given to us by Christ on the cross lives forever.  As a parent, do I put more weight on my child doing the right thing than if they made the next goal or hit a home run?  Do they know that righteousness and wisdom is what really warms my heart even when the game is lost but it was played with righteousness at its core to the rules and the attitude of good sportsmanship to all?  Many times I think our children get mixed signals that we need to clear up.  Let us pray.

"Lord, to us both as children and parents, help us to listen to godly counsel and not despise.  Help us to see the value of putting for effort to obtain it so that we can also give it away and especially to our children.  Help us to communicate to our children how important it is to mommy and daddy that God's wisdom be followed in life as we give the example before them to follow.  May we have opportunities to pat them on the back and have our hearts warmed when they show in life a following after You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam