SEPTEMBER 20, 2026
Proverbs 1:8-9
My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.
There are so many things in modern society that are easily attainable, especially here in America. Convenience is a hallmark of the American experience, so much so that many of our chores and luxuries do not even require us to leave our cars. For example, we have drive through restaurants, drive through pharmacies, drive through banks; I hear that in Las Vegas, a couple can be married while sitting in their car. On one hand, that sounds desirable, but I would argue that anything of value, especially things of eternal value, are not easily attained and are certainly not convenient.
Godly wisdom is not something we can just walk into a store and expect to purchase. It is not a ready-made suit bought off the rack that fits perfectly without having to make any alterations. The wisdom that comes from God is imparted by His Spirit. Furthermore, it is not dispensed like candy; it is something that is attained through great effort and devotion. And I would add that it is available only to those who are willing to humble themselves and receive instruction from those God has set over us to teach us. First and foremost, that means our parents. More than anyone in this world, fathers and mothers are the ones who are responsible and motivated to teach us what we need to know. Ideally, they are the ones who have our best interests in mind, second only to our Heavenly Father.
This verse speaks of honoring our parents by listening to their instruction; the previous verse speaks of honoring God by choosing to fear Him. Together, the message in these two verses is that there are three “partners” who work together to make us into what He intended us to be — God, our father and our mother. Clearly, the Creator has established a proper order to things, including how we obtain Godly wisdom. Therefore, we are to respect and obey those over us in the Lord, starting with our parents; for if we are not willing to receive wise instruction from them, it is likely that we will resist receiving instruction from our Heavenly Father. When we honor Godly parents by hearing their instruction and refusing to forsake their law, we honor the One who created us.