For the Young

Wisdom for the young:

Proverbs 6:20-23
“My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teachings. Bind them on your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way of life.”

WOW! This passage in and of its self is powerful. Just a simple read and it’s still hard hitting. But, dig into the interpretation of it, and it’s fully loaded! Let’s start with the verbs:

KEEP- to guard; watch; PROTECT; OBEY; maintain; and observe [our Father’s commands]
DO NOT FORSAKE- don’t abandon, reject, desert, OR STOP THINKING ABOUT [your mother’s teachings]
BIND- tie; BE STRONG; JOIN WITH; BECOME ONE WITH [both of these within your heart. Develop it into your character]
FASTEN- bind; fasten; PUT ON [ live by them, become them]
WALK- move to and fro; LIVE BY and make a PATTERN OF YOUR LIFESTYLE
GUIDE- lead [when we live by what our parents teach us, they guide us through life]
SLEEP- lie down; rest
WATCH- guard; protect; take care of; CELEBRATE [obedience isn’t a sad thing! It brings us joy. It betters our life. It guards us even when we sleep.]
AWAKE- to pass the summer [or as life goes by]; to arouse; come to life; awaken [living in obedience brings us LIFE]
SPEAK- spread out; enlarge; expose [As we are enjoying life in obedience, we are blessed! We are increased! And we are also searched out, our hearts are exposed, our character is open to being refined and made better]

When we see the deeper meanings of these verbs, it’s impossible to not see the joys and benefits of laboring to make it our character to obey. Our desires must be inclusive of what we’ve been taught. It’s all about our character; and what we do with what we know.

There’s more:

It will be a LAMP [represents showing the way of truth], and a LIGHT [bringing joy, cheerfulness, and relief from trouble].

One last important note:

Proverbs was written to depict a father preparing his son for life, and a mother as his teacher. Is this not life as we know it? Realize that in the last verse their council is equated as just as important in his life as the Word of God. For, isn’t God’s Word a “Lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path” [Ps.119:105]?

Think on these things!