Read
Solomon's Wise Sayings
1Here are some proverbs
of Solomon:
Children with good sense
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
make them sad.
2What you gain by doing evil
won't help you at all.
Obeying God is the only way
to be saved from death.
3If you obey the Lord,
you won't go hungry;
if you are wicked,
God won't let you have
what you want.
4Laziness leads to poverty;
hard work makes you rich.
5At harvest season
it's smart to work hard,
but stupid to sleep.
6Everyone praises good people,
but evil hides behind
the words of the wicked.
7Good people are remembered
long after they are gone,
but the wicked
are soon forgotten.
Reflect
Work hard and obey God. This is what parents try to teach their children for the duration of the time they are with them. From the moment children are born, it is the parents’ task to prepare them to leave. If all words of wisdom to children could be summed up, it would likely sound something like the above. If children learn these two things, they can leave home expecting to succeed in life.
Parents are always proud when their children are successful because children are a reflection of the parents. This puts a huge onus on parents because if children are to work hard and obey God then parents have to work hard and obey God. Children are like the flow of water. They will find the easiest path. Sleeping in, watching TV, texting, gaming are always the easier options as opposed to chores or homework. The lottery dream can become a serious option especially if Mom or Dad build their hopes on guessing the winning numbers each week. Learning to work hard IS hard work. And obeying God can sometimes be even harder.
Kids, you want to grow up and be successful? Parents, you want successful kids? The advice is the same for all of us. Work hard and obey God. Simple as that.
Respond
Dear Heavenly Father, I want you to be proud of me. I recognize that life isn’t easy and serving you doesn’t guarantee life to be easier but I trust that as I follow you and do my best each day, life should be a little less complicated and in the big picture, I will be successful in your eyes. Show me where I’m slack both in my labour and in my relationship with you. Help me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ted Seres
Ted Seres received his B.A. in Political Science at McMaster University in Hamilton. He earned an M. Div at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon. He is married to Susan and has two sons: Trenton and Brett. Ted is an ordained minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. He has been involved in pastoral ministry including church planting.