For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Picture this dear reader, a young man looking and being like a glorious prince with chains on his neck and a crown on his head. But there are two conditions. Having parents that'll teach him God's wisdom, and secondly, his obedience to that instruction. However if either of these are missing the young man will grow up to be disgraceful and dysfunctional. So what are the remedies in such a case you might ask?
Reader this proverb is indeed a powerful metaphor. Similies usually contain the words "like" or "as", but King Solomon himself made a stronger point that what would give the young man visible honor usually due to a prince, is obedience to parental instruction. Obviously obedience will not literally obtain jewelry for anyone's public appearance including this young man, but it will give him the wisdom and the grace that adorn a young man in God's eyes and in the eyes of men.
King Solomon identified the importance of young men and women obeying their parents. The foundation of wisdom was also laid out in the fear of the Lord. He also went on warning about the companionship of wicked men. The terrible consequences of rejecting wisdom that is offered is also described. The foundation stones for the success in life are here in the first chapter of this book.
Do you know what is essential for a wise man's success? Parental instruction. Without this he will enter the world ignorant, just like an infant. He'll make little progress without the parental wisdom and experience that is poured into his life. He never truly grows up dear reader! In proportion to the neglect of his parents he will remain stunted and deformed. He will respond like a spoiled child to most cases in life. In childhood and youth dear reader, character is formed! How terrible for the young man who has lazy, wicked or foolish parents!
By obeying and watching a godly father a young man learns the important things in life. The fruits of this are:
But without this training, this is what he will lack:
He doesn't achieve the glory and princely grace of a man who has the approval of men and God.
So what are the lessons thus far?
Parents, you have an obligation from God to train your children in the fear of the Lord. And the children are bound to repay their parents for that great kindness shown to them when they were helpless.
But half of the equation is wise parental instruction. What is the other half you might ask? The young man, or child, must obey the warnings and the rules of his parents in order for him to benefit from their efforts. What happens to a foolish and stubborn child? He is doomed to misery and failure. How sad indeed for that child! For him to grow and prosper, the only way for him to do this, is to take his parents advice to heart, and to obey it in his life.
No matter what the excuse dear reader, the consequnces for neglecting your children will cause problems for generations!
Young man! Are you focused and strong enough to defy sinful influences and peer pressure?
Even when instruction differs from this perverse world, do you humbly accept it?
Are you obeying what your mother and father have taught you?
Those who pursue a life of righteousness as defined by our Lord Jesus Christ, and those who endure tempatation, for those the ultimate chains of glory and ultimate crown are reserved for in heaven.
