The wise children
[Proverbs 3:11-26]
At the Morning Prayer meeting yesterday, I prayed to God for my three children, and my heart was broken. I think there were two reasons. One was because I felt that God loves Dillon, Yeri, and Karis, the gifts that God gave to my wife and I, and the other was because I, who lack so many things but as their farther, love those three children. Especially last Saturday, when I prayed for Yeri, who wore earrings with her dedication to God, I gave thanks to God and prayed to Him for her whom I love. My heart was moved. I prayed to God as I acknowledged the fact that it is only through God's grace that God would bring forth 'the work of Ephraim', twice fruitful through his beloved daughter Yeri. And when I prayed for Karis, I prayed that God made her to realize His grace, so that she could be gracious to others and share with them as she cares for them. And when I prayed to God for my beloved oldest son, Dillon, I prayed to God by crying out in my heart that he may be truthful and faithful to God as a man of God. I know that there are earnest prayer topics for you to pray to God for your children or descendants. How do you feel when you pray for your beloved children and descendants?
While meditating on Proverbs 3:11-26, I saw King Solomon's words “My son” in verses 11 and 21, and I started meditating on the words of Proverbs 3:11-26 around that word “My son” under the heading “The wise children”. The essence of that meditation was who the wise children are. So, I would like to have time to pray for our children (or descendants) by meditating on three kinds of wise children in the sight of God, focusing on Proverbs 3:11-26.
First, the wise children experience Heavenly Father's love through God's discipline.
Look at Proverbs 3:11-12: “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” Why do we, fathers, discipline our children? Isn't it because our children disobeyed us? Not long ago, my two daughters were fighting over something very small, so I had to discipline both of them. At that time, after disciplining the children, I said to them to write what they did wrong. Then one daughter wrote a long piece of text, drew a picture, and brought it to me. When I read the contents, it was a regretful writing saying that she learned that she shouldn’t fight over small things, and that she didn’t know why she fought. Then, looking at the child's writing, she said that she had prayed to God for forgiveness, and asked me for forgiveness. What would I do? Wouldn’t I forgive her? How could I not forgive my beloved daughter when she prayed to God for forgiveness? Who am I not to forgive her since God already forgave her? Our Heavenly Father is a God who disciplines us as a man disciplines his son (Deut. 8:5). God disciplines us when we forsake the way or leave the path (Prov. 15:10). Why does God discipline us when we forsake His way? The reason is because He loves us. Since God loves us and is pleased with us, He reproves us and corrects us when we forsake His word and live a life of disobedience (3:12). Also, because God considers us to be His sons and daughters, He disciplines us (Heb. 12:6-8). Then what are the purposes of God's discipline? Here are three things: (1) To remove foolishness that is bound up in our hearts (Prov. 22:15). (2) To make us repent (Rev. 3:19) so that we will offend no more (Job 34:31) and live in submission to our Heavenly Father (Heb. 12:9), and (3) To enable us to share in the holiness of God (Heb. 12:10) and also to enjoy peace (Isa. 53:5).
In Proverbs 3:11, King Solomon says, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof.” I think it has two meanings:
(1) In Proverbs 3:1, King Solomon said, "My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments." And, as we come to 3:11, he said, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof.” I think there is meaning that children may forget the father's law and fail to obey the father's command. Isn't that why the father discipline his children? What is interesting, though, is that King Solomon comes to verse 11 and speaks of “the discipline of the Lord” rather than his father's discipline. When I meditate on this fact, I think King Solomon, as a father, was trying to teach his children to fear God. In other words, he points to the fact that God will discipline his children when his children don’t obey his laws and commands. So he says that his laws and commands are God-centered. I think he was trying to instill in his children that he would discipline them if they don’t obey his laws and commands.
(2) The reason King Solomon said, "My son," and told him not to reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof is because God's discipline can be hated from our people's point of view, but from God's point of view it is beneficial to us (Park). What are the benefits of that God's discipline? Of course, as we have already meditated on the three purposes of discipline, the benefits of discipline are to remove foolishness that is bound up in our hearts, to make us repent so that we will offend no more and live in submission to our Heavenly Father, and to enable us to share in the holiness of God and also to enjoy peace. But I think that King Solomon summarizes the benefits of all these disciplines in one word in Proverbs 3:12. In short, the benefit of discipline is to experience Heavenly Father's love. More specifically, the benefit of discipline is to feel (know) the heart of Heavenly Father. It is the benefit of discipline to learn how much Heavenly Father loves us, and how delightful Heavenly Father is with us. What do you think? Have we ever benefited from this divine discipline? Have we ever realized with our hearts how much Heavenly Father loves and delights us through His discipline?
The wise children learn the heart of Heavenly Father through His discipline. They realize how much Heavenly Father loves and delight them through God's discipline. We must become these wise children of God. We should regard it as a blessing that we are disciplined by God when we sin against Him for forgetting and not obeying His commands (Job 5:17). What is that blessing? It is a deeper understanding of Heavenly Father's love for us. I hope and pray that we will learn the loving heart of our Heavenly Father through God's discipline.
Second, the wise children enjoy the blessing of wisdom.
Look at Proverbs 3:13-15: “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.” What is true blessing? Does the world's silver and gold-like material really give us true happiness? Last week, I read an article on a Korean Christian Internet website titled ‘Hangi-chong must be dismantled’ (here “Hangi-chong” stands for ‘Korean Christian Federation’, an organization representing Korean Protestants) (Internet). The reason why I read this article is because there were articles that one or two pastors belonging to Hangi-chong confessed to paying and receiving money in the election to become the president of the Hangi-chong and the article was an interview with Professor Son Bong-ho. Among the interview, the reporter asked the question to Professor Son: ‘Is the excessive desire for fame of religious leaders revealed in the elections for money is just a matter of Han Ki-Chong?’ Professor Son’s answer to this question was this: ‘The fundamental cause is the pursuit of good standing and success in Korean culture. In this culture, the beliefs of Korean Protestants have turned into ‘faith for blessing. The church teaches that it is a blessing to make money and become famous. Pastors cannot gain power by doing politics, nor can they make money by doing business. In the end, the only thing left is honor, so they become obsessed with it’ (Internet). What do you think of Professor Son Bong-ho's words? Do you also think that the faith of Protestants in Korea has changed into faith for blessing? Do you think ‘It's a blessing to make money and be famous’? Personally, I agree with Professor Son. Our Korean Protestant beliefs have been changed into faith for blessing. This faith for blessing believes that God must exist for me and that God must help me whenever I need. This faith for blessing believes in God just to be blessed. In particular, is it really the right faith that the Bible says to believe in God to receive just material blessings?
In Proverbs 3:13-15, King Solomon says that those who gain wisdom and understanding are blessed (vv. 13, 18). At the same time, it tells the value of wisdom how precious it is to obtain wisdom. In a word, the value of wisdom is incomparable to gold and silver treasures. Why is wisdom more valuable than gold and silver treasures? In other words, what blessings are to those who obtain wisdom that cannot be compared with gold and silver treasures? Look at verses 16-18: “Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.” The Bible says that the blessings of wisdom are not only longevity and wealth, joy and peace, but also “the tree of life,” that is, eternal life. In other words, the blessing of wisdom is to be guaranteed the blessing of salvation in the future life (Park). We who have gained eternal life by trusting in Jesus, who is the true wisdom, are already enjoying the joy and peace that God gives us. And we are living by accumulating eternal life, the true meaning of longevity on earth, and the treasure of heaven, which is true wealth. However, those who don’t believe in Jesus, who is the true wisdom, will not be able to enjoy true joy and peace even if they live a long life in this world and enjoy the riches and glory. And they will not have any blessings of the eternal life to come. Rather, only the eternal curse remains on them. Dr. Park Yun-sun said that the most unfortunate thing is that they don’t believe in God because of gold and silver treasures (Park). I cannot disagree. A life that doesn’t believe in God because of materials and doesn’t live with God is first is truly a life of pity and unfortunateness. How many people around us are living this unfortunate and unhappy life? In Proverbs 3:19-20, the Bible says that God created heaven and earth with wisdom. At the same time, the Bible speaks of the greatness of God's wisdom (Park). What can this great wisdom of God be compared to? Can it be compared to the gold and silver treasures of this world? King Solomon says that the wise children are blessed by gaining the wisdom of this great God. The Bible says that they will enjoy blessings that the world cannot give. How can we, who are enjoying this eternal blessing, not thank God in all things?
Third and last, the wise children keep sound wisdom and discretion.
Look at Proverbs 3:21 – “My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion.” King Solomon is commanding his children to keep perfect wisdom and integrity. What does it mean? It means to preserve sound judgment and discernment. In a word, it means to fear God (Park). The word “let them not vanish from your sight” while in fear of God means that we should not leave God and always follow Him as we see Him in front of us (Park). In that case, there are blessings that are given to the true wise children of God who fears Him. What are those blessings?
(1) It is life to our soul.
Look at Proverbs 3:22 – “So they will be life to your soul ….” We must value the life of the soul rather than the life of the body (Park). King Solomon is saying that if we keep sound wisdom and discretion, that is, when we live a true life in fear of God, it will be life to our souls.
(2) It is security.
Look at Proverbs 3:23 – “Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble.” When we live a truthful life in fear of God, Satan deceives and entices us so that we may leave the upright path and walk the crooked path and the dark path (2:13, 15). Even so, God will protect us so that we can keep walking on the safe and upright way, the way of good men, and the paths of the righteous (v. 20).
(3) It is sweet sleep.
Look at Proverbs 3:24 – “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” When we are safe because God protects and keeps us, we can have sweet sleep that God gives us. Just as Jesus fell asleep in a boat even in the midst of a storm, God gives the truthful believers who fear God sweet sleep even in tribulation.
(4) It is confidence.
Look at Proverbs 3:25 – “Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes.” Those who have gained wisdom and who live truthful life because they fear God aren’t afraid but rather bold in the face of the tribulation that God sends to punish the wicked (Park). The reason is because the Lord is their confidence (v. 26).
We must become wise children of God. Even through God's discipline, we must experience Heavenly Father's love. Also, we must recognize and understand the value of wisdom that God gives to us, and humbly receive and enjoy the blessings of wisdom while pursuing that wisdom. We must keep sound wisdom and discretion. In other words, since we fear God as His wise children, I hope and pray that we will enjoy the life of the soul, security, sweet sleep, and confidence, which are the blessings of God.