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Proverbs 23 (ESV)

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵ Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.

REFLECTION:

The verses in the previous chapter exhort us on how to discipline children as parents, and the verses in this chapter teach us how to listen to the teachings of parents and ask their wisdom for guidance from the children’s perspective. We do this to please our parents as well as to please God. This does not mean that parents are always correct so we have to obey them unconditionally. Their thinking and value may be different from ours, their mental strength may decline due to old age, and their lives may also deviate from God, but none of this allows us to despise them. We should treat our parents with kindness and filial piety, and commemorate their hard work in bringing us up. The greatest filial piety to our parents is not merely to provide for them with abundant material conditions, but to walk in humility on the path that God has ordained, and respect our parents, listen to their words, and help them not to deviate from God’s way when growing old. Together you and your parents will have an abundant spiritual life in God.
 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to help you to respect and obey your parents more, and be a humble listener of your parents. Try hard to obey  their wisdom teachings, be compassionate to their weaknesses, and never contempt. Pray for God to strengthen your faith, be a good testimony to your parents, and strive to walk with them on the path God ordained.

HYMN:

Humble King: youtu.be/YV_3l6Ng5lA