“Chasten your son while there is hope and do not set your heart on his destruction” (Proverbs 19:18).
Childhood passes quickly and irreversibly. Parents can easily lose sight of the fact that their job description is to raise godly offspring who can function as mature, productive adults. When your son becomes a man, he ought to have put away childish thinking and immature, irresponsible behavior (1 Cor. 13:11).
In that little bundle of joy God blesses a father and mother with there is a heart with foolishness bound up in it (Prov. 22:15). If left in their offspring, that spiritual poison will destroy their precious child and break their hearts into a million pieces—“a foolish son is the ruin of his father” (Prov. 19:13).
The time and opportunity to drive a child’s foolishness out of his heart is like an ever-closing window. Parents, literally, are on the clock to giturdun. Hence, the urgency which permeates this proverb: “Chasten your son while there is hope.” Expecting respect for proper authority, developing the habit of good manners, being obedient to God and parents, treating others thoughtfully and respectfully must be expected today. They cannot be put off until tomorrow.
Once the window of childhood is shut, it is permanent. If you fail to be a wise and diligent parent, you will have years of bitter regret and heartache to remind you of your dereliction of duty.
