Why You Need to Listen to Your Parents - Proverbs 1:8-9

Proverbs 1:8-9 The Value of Wisdom of Listening To Your Parents


Listening to your parents
For most of us our parents started out as some of the wisest people we knew. As we grew our parents wisdom seemed to dim. Then as we got even older the great wisdom returned. Solomon must have learned some lessons from his father, David, but just like many young people the lessons were lost during his middle years of life.

Solomon turned away from both his earthly father's wisdom and his Heavenly Father's teachings. He learned too late the error of his ways. Because of Solomon's folly the once mighty nation of Israel would one day be divided in two. Is this why in Proverbs 1:8 Solomon tells his son “Listen to the wisdom of you parents” because he had failed to listen to his father, David. There are three reasons for listening to your parents.

Listen to Your Parents – Because of Their Knowledge
Over the years David accumulated a lot of knowledge from his father and others. Likewise, your parents have accumulated a lot of knowledge. Not the textbook kind of knowledge but the knowledge which comes with living their lives. They've raised children. They've keep a family budget and the list goes on and on. It is an unwise child who wouldn't want to tap into all the knowledge their parents have accumulated.

Listen to Your Parents – Because of Their Experience
In addition to knowledge most parents have lived through a vast array of experiences. These experiences helped guide them through life. Solomon's father David lived through an anointing as King,a fight with a giant, the current King Saul trying to kill him and much more. David had a lot of experience to impart to his children to help guide them through life.

My parents lived through World War II, The Great Depression, and the Korean War. My parents were never what I would call rich but they always made sure we were well taken care. All these experiences helped my parents gain insights into how to live life the right way. These insight were imparted to me through different nuggets of wisdom I learned from both my parents.

Listen to Your Parent – Because of Their Wisdom
David's wisdom came from using what he learned and what he'd experienced in order to live a Godly life. David I am sure had some great chat sessions with Solomon where he imparted this wisdom to Solomon.
In the same way I had many conversations with my parents where they imparted to me wise advice on living my life. Did I always listen? Sadly like Solomon I never headed all my parents advice. If I had I would have been able to avoid some of the pitfalls I have lived through.

Proverbs 1:9
Listening to Your Parents – Both Honors Them and Shows You Respect Them
Why should we listen to our parents? Proverbs 1:9 says because it is a “garland for our head and “a chain for our necks”. In other words listening to your parents is far better then anything you put on their heads or around their necks. Listening to your parents both honors your parents and shows them respect. Which is dictated by God in the Fifth Commandment. When we listen to our parents it shows we values their words and ideas over our own. It shows we respect their wisdom over our own.

In the end may we not turn away from the wisdom of our parents as well as the wisdom of our senior citizens. Fools would we be not to listen to those who have been through and done a lot more then any of us ever have. I issue a challenge to any who are reading this to sit down and talk your parents, ask them about some of the events in their lives. I wish I could have my parents back so I could learn more about their past. Likewise talk to our seasoned citizens. Learn all the wisdom they have, so you pass it on to your children.