Proverbs 17: Mama Didn't Raise No Fool?

One of Solomon's themes in Proverbs is the relationship between parents and their children.  When the children are wise and good, the household is happy.  But parents that raise a fool will find themselves filled with heartache and misery.

We see evidence of this line of thinking in chapter 17 when Solomon issues such proverbs as:

• "A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the family" (vs. 2).
• "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents" (vs. 6).
• "The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy" (vs. 21).
• "Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them" (vs. 25).

Solomon wrote these proverbs about three thousand years ago.  Isn't it amazing how apt they have remained?  It is still true today that children can bring either great joy or despair to their parents.  As a wise man, Solomon must have been a delight to his father David.  Perhaps that is why the kingdom was entrusted to him.  Solomon, for his part, did not have as much success in raising a wise son to follow after him.  Rehoboam ascended to the throne and promptly "lost" ten tribes through bad advice and poor judgment!

Even though Solomon himself was not able to raise a wise son to rule in his stead, that does not make his teachings about the joys and burdens of parenthood less true.  If anything, the consequences of his son's failure reinforces Solomon's point about the unique ability of children to be a blessing or curse to the family.

Not all of us have children, but all of us have been somebody's child.  And, if we are in relationship with Jesus Christ, then we are God's own son or daughter right now.  Let us strive to leave whatever foolishness we have committed in life behind, and instead walk in the way of wisdom and righteousness that befits a child of the King!