Read
Warnings
8My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,
9and wear their teachings
as you would a pretty hat
or a lovely necklace.
10Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen 11when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!
12They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.
13We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.
14If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”
15Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.
16They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.
17They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.
18They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.
19The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.
Reflect
Do our parents really understand us? Is their advice at all useful?
Every young adult has wondered whether their parents really “get it.” When we are young, they make us obey rules, and when we become adults, their rules seem arbitrary and encumbering. Why should we follow them?
Proverbs points out that for a young adult, life comes down to choosing between our parents’ rules and following the crowd. This is as true today as it was more than two thousand years ago. Yet not only are we to obey our parents, we are to obey them so well that their guidelines become wonderful accessories (like a hat or necklace) for our lives (1:9).
What if we have parents who are not wise? This is a question Proverbs doesn’t seem to answer, but one that is often asked in our culture. If we love God, we err on the side of obedience, even when that obedience is not easy. Perhaps not because our parents are worthy – we do it because our God asks us to do it, and he is worthy. We honour God when we honour our parents. God understands that our parents are not perfect.
But the crowd is a bigger challenge. As we go out in the world, we face these “sinners” who tempt us with their “Come on!” (1:10). The crowd will make us lots of promises, such as a share in their spoils or being a part of a wild adventure. Why is it so tempting?
These sinners have ensnared themselves in their own evil work – and then they work to ensnare others as well. They destroy their own lives by wasting them on bad deeds. Even if we think our parents’ rules are flawed, following this crowd is far, far worse.
Respond
Heavenly Father, you are loving and generous. I praise you for bringing me into your family. Please help me to honour my parents and take wise advice when it is given. Lead me away from foolishness to walk in your ways and praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Douglas & Noël Estes
Douglas Estes is Assistant Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology and director of the DMin Program at South University—Columbia. Prior to this he was a pastor for 16 years. He has written or edited six books and contributes to a variety of publications including Bible Study Magazine and Christianity Today. His wife Noël was a Marriage and Family Therapist, before making a career of raising their four children and becoming a DMin student. Some recent publications include: Questions and Rhetoric in the Greek New Testament (Zondervan, 2017) and, as co-editor, How John Works (SBL Press, 2016). Also: "The Exoplanets Declare the Glory of God" (Christianity Today, March 2016).