Proverbs 22: Proverbial Proverbs

Proverbs has added many treasured sayings and expressions to our culture.  A couple of them make appearances in chapter 22.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (vs. 6).  Countless Christian parents have stood on this teaching when it seemed that their children were in danger of turning away from the faith.  Some believe that the Bible promises that if parents raise their children with correct spiritual guidance, they will inevitably return to the religion of their childhood one day in their adulthood, even if they stray along the way.  Is this a proper interpretation?

One thing that is important to remember is the genre of this part of the Bible.  We are not in a book of Law or even Prophets, but of Writings.  Proverbs is not offering any iron-clad guarantees here that will always apply to every situation.  The wisdom of Solomon is instead meant to give guidance for ways to live that are in keeping with the Lord's will.  In other words, I would categorize this scripture as a principle - not a promise.

Yet that does not mean this verse is without its truth and power!  There is a compelling reason to believe that the seeds we sow in rearing children will bear fruit in their adult years.  As Proverbs testifies, the training up of a child is a powerful imprint that will help him or her when they don't know where to turn.

Another relatively famous verse is the one that immediately follows: "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender" (vs. 7).  Many people have heard this adage - but it doesn't stop them from going into debt!  The wisdom of Solomon would caution us strongly against indebtedness.  There may be times and situations in life in which it is unavoidable - but debt should never be entered into lightly.

Like the teaching about the importance of raising children to be spiritually true, the good advice of staying out of debt has become a "proverbial proverb" in our culture.  Now it is up to us to not just hear these lessons, but apply them in our lives!