“My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself; yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things…The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice” (Proverbs 23:15-16, 24-25).
Few regrets and heartaches are keener than parents who ignored the wisdom of consistent and properly correcting and appropriately chastising their children (see yesterday’s post on Prov. 23:13-14). Few joys are sweeter than that of a parent whose grown offspring has chosen the path of wisdom and righteousness. The parents of that adult child greatly rejoice.
Few, if any, persons on this earth will have greater impact on the core of your being like your mate and children will. Like God, the parent of a wayward child who has left home knows intense hurt and heartache. In addition, they often have an overwhelming sense of failure. Few things are heavier than the heart of a parent with a prodigal child living in a pigpen in a far country.
How passionate is the simple plea: “Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice”.
