Wisdom And Family
by Micky Galloway
Romans 1:21-22, “because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools …”
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? What happened to the simple plan of God? Today we are learning a new vocabulary (intersex, agender, amalgagender, androgynous, bigender, demigender, female-to-male, genderfluid, genderqueer, male-to-female, neutrois, nonbinary, pangender, third sex, transgender, transsexual, unspecified, etc.). Our modern age is not the only age man has behaved very foolishly. (Consider the context of Romans chapter 1, another subject for another day.)
Lack of wisdom is destroying lives. Our young people are confused about what gender they are. And “there is no fool like an old fool.” Marriages are destroyed, children are lost, and souls are doomed for eternity. What a mess we have made. Christians are to, “Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17). Many are wasting precious time, their lives, and the lives of their children by foolish decisions in their family life. The Word of God equips man for every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17). It is only natural to assume that it provides us with sound advice concerning our families.
The book of Proverbs is designed to make a person wise! It teaches us how to act righteously and to treat others with fairness. It gives the ignorant common sense, the young sound advice, and even the “man of understanding” more wisdom (Proverbs 1:1-6).
Good husbands, wives, parents, and children, we should keep in mind two things. (1) Life is short. The Psalmist explains, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore years; yet is their pride but labor and sorrow; for it is soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalms 90:10). (2) There are some things we do only once. Time is gone and opportunity is no more. Our eternal existence is greatly influenced by the decisions we make during this short life. It is imperative, then, that we not waste our time through rash and foolish choices. Often these decisions make this life miserable, but more importantly they jeopardize our souls and those of our family. Life is too short and families grow too fast for us to waste time trying to rear a family through “trial and error” or “political correctness.” Moms and Dads, what an important task we have! “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; (But) the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15).
The “wisdom of the world” emphasizes the material. Some think providing the “necessities” of life such as food, clothing, and shelter are most important. Others consider providing the “luxuries” that parents never had, or perhaps the “things” and “entertainment” that parents could never afford. Still others consider among the most important things, providing a good “education” for their children, so they can also be affluent. Though these things may have some merit, they are not the most important. Jesus taught, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21; cf. Matthew 6:33).
The book of Proverbs teaches us what is most important.
“BETTER is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith” (Proverbs 15:16). Instilling a “fear of Jehovah” is much more important than riches in providing for your family. One of the greatest ways to do this is through your own example of a deep and abiding respect for the Lord. The “fear of Jehovah” provides many things. It provides the beginning of knowledge. “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; (But) the foolish despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). It is the means to avoid sin. “By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:6). It is also the key to true wealth. “The reward of humility (and) the fear of Jehovah (Is) riches, and honor, and life” (Proverbs 22:4). The mother cannot be free from sharing the responsibility of teaching children “the fear of Jehovah,” but the first duty is placed on the father as head of the family. “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 KJV). How can he bring his children up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord,” if he does not know what that means? Teach your family to fear God!
“BETTER is a dinner of herbs, where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith” (Proverbs 15:17). A stalled ox is one taken up out of the pasture and fatted for the table (cf. Luke 15:23). Providing an environment where love reigns is far more important than providing material abundance. Husbands are commanded to, “love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it … to love their own wives as their own bodies” (Ephesians 5:25-29). Wives are taught to “love their husbands, to love their children, (to be) sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:4-5). The attributes of this love are found in I Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love suffereth long, (and) is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth.”
“BETTER is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1). Providing a peaceful and tranquil family life is more important than wealth. Where there is fighting and fussing, what is the value of wealth? Wise wives and mothers learn, “It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.” “It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman” (Proverbs 21:9; 21:19). A wise father also learns, “(As) coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife” (Proverbs 26:21). There is a time to “keep silence” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). A wise father (or mother) realizes that spiritual provisions are more important than material ones. Troubled children come from troubled homes. The world does not get it, but the Bible teaches that there is a wisdom that “is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace” (James 3:15-18). Let us do our part to see to it that our family lives in peace.
Since so much of our happiness or lack of it is affected by our family life, wouldn’t it be BETTER to listen to the wisdom of God to make life everything God intended for it to be?