Inspirational, Uplifting and Encouraging Bible Verses: Parenting and Raising Our Children: Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. Proverbs 23:24 NIV
Take a look at the complications we face each day. I suppose many of them have to do with stress related to workload. Mine do.
How we feel, our health, is another dominant factor. It impacts how we handle and react to what the world throws at us. It can be a delicate balance.
A third influence, our relationship to family. Regardless of our place and function therein, this could be considered job #1. When the familial balance is off, it becomes much more difficult to handle the other things. If there has been a fight, conflict or unfortunate event in the family, things will not be right until we correct it. Which brings forth the topic of today’s verse. What a job it is and has been to bring up our children with love and discipline, in such a way as to raise them in accordance with God’s will. I have used Psalms and Proverbs incessantly as a reference to that end. And, PTL, it seems to be working.
My oldest son has been a proving ground for two reasons:
- He has simply been challenging.
- He was our first of three, Daddy was a rookie when he showed up.
What has happened, praise God, the kid is shaping up to be a young man who will out do his Dad. I never thought of my job here as one to bring up an equal. No, that would never suffice, especially being aware of my faults. The goal was and is to raise a better man.
I saw him struggle through his first years of school. Tourette syndrome along with other inherited traits made it tough. Nights of tearful homework sessions, on both sides, were the norm. Discipline was often required to bring him into line outside of academics. Sometimes I just did not know what to do, so I prayed. His mom loved and cared in a way I have seen and received from my own mother. Just loved him and kept loving more. We had to rely on the Lord and keep Him close. That because He does not force Himself upon us, rather stands by as a willing friend, brother and father all at the same time.
My boy graduated from middle school his month. The D’s and grade “held back’s” have become A’s and B’s. I took him out to the farm where he works the other day. That farmer was an answer to a “what should I do” prayer a few years back, when I knew the kid needed a type of structure and ethics training I could not directly provide. He spent that day cutting up downed trees, post storm, with a chainsaw. Will be working out there all summer. Comes home and goes fishing, in by curfew with no hiccups. Does what he is supposed to do.
It is a miracle to me, given what could have been and at one time looked like it would. Obedient and outstanding kids are truly a great joy as called out above. They take the load off, when other things provide strain enough. So no matter how tough my day goes, I become more and more aware of how blessed I am, imagining what it would be like to come home to a war zone. A war zone that could have been mine, given what might have unfolded if I had operated and relied solely on my own ability and intellect.
I will make sure tomorrow to tell that boy and the others how much they are appreciated, and to whom we should give our thanks.
