Our Scripture reading calls attention to our need to be attentive, respectful, and loving to our parents. The attention in this study will be given to fathers, but mothers are always intended to be included. Parenting is designed to be a cooperative effort of a husband and wife (I Peter 3:7).

Using Proverbs 23:22-35 as a frame of reference, let's investigate things that pertain to fathers and family. This will both give fathers and children of any age a standard to follow.

Proverbs 23:22-23 - The Father invests in his children

A father gives his children instruction, correction, and guidance. The children, in turn, should be respectful and attentive to their father. - Proverbs 1:8; 3:12; 4:1; 6:20; 13:1; 15:5.

The important commodity which a father should use to train his children is truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10 cp. Psalm 111:10). The father's commandments / laws should be in harmony with God's commandments / laws. Sometimes fathers only deal in the areas of vocational skills, hobbies, and sports. That is good, but not enough by itself. Children should "buy the truth" with their time and attention. The father's prayer should be similar to what Jesus prayed for us, "Sanctify them through thy truth: Thy word is truth." (John 17:17) See Proverbs 2:1-9; 4:1-13, 20-27; 6:20-23 (cp. Deuteronomy 6:4-7); Proverbs 13:13; 19:27; 22:17-21; 23:17-18; 30:5-6 cp. Psalm 19:7-11; 119:9-16.

Proverbs 23:24-25 - The Father's dividends from his investment

The Father should look forward to having joy throughout his life. He will take pleasure in his children as they mature and live productive lives. The affection, leadership, and help given to children, when they are young, is worth all the time, labor, and provision that was invested in their development. The words of Proverbs 22:6 should give hope to parents. But the sad part is that there are always risks to investments. Children do not always follow the Lord's teachings on how to think and live. Children do not always love and honor their parents. There are serious consequences to those who dishonor / harm their parents. - See Proverbs 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:13a; 20:20 [cp. Proverbs 19:26; 28:24; Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21]; Proverbs 28:7.

Proverbs 23:26 - The Father's greater goal of parenting.

The Father seeks not a relationship with his children of mere compliance to his leadership and rules. He wants them to seek God as their heavenly Father. He seeks a personal, loving, heart-felt relationship of trust with his family. This loving relationship, and prayer, are the only things that can protect the investments that he has made in his children. See Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-9; 3:5-12; 4:3 (Proverbs 17:6 cp. Malachi 4:5-6).

See Proverbs 22:28; 23:10-11 cp. Deuteronomy 19:14. The ancient landmarks started with the boundaries that God had originally distributed to the twelve tribes of Israel. Within the territory for each tribe, the fathers set landmarks to distinguish the property of each family. These landmarks were to be never moved. The younger generation needed to trust, respect, and take heed to the godly traditions of their fathers. Sometimes people have traditions that are ungodly. Those traditions should not be heeded (II Kings 17:6-18; II Chronicles 30:5-8; Psalm 78:1-8).

If a godly father loves his children, his love will prevail over a multitude of sins (I Peter 4:7-8). The father must faithfully confront sin and give correction. But the desired result is not to cut them off, but rather to restore them to right understanding and behavior - to build them up, not tear them down (Proverbs 3:11-12; 13:24; 10:12; 17:9 cp. Ephesians 6:4). See Proverbs 29:3 cp. Luke 15:11-32 - This story of a man with two sons shows how much a father can love his children and shepherd their hearts.

Proverbs 23:27-35 - The Father's protection

Practical examples are given to show how a father would protect his children from destructive / disastrous things.

 

• The dangers of sin with ungodly women- Proverbs 23:27-28.
  

  (This could also apply to the dangers of sin with ungodly men. It also could apply to the dangers of the addictive sin of pornography.)

 

• The dangers of sin with alcohol - Proverbs 23:29-35.
  

  (This could also apply to the misuse of drugs.)

 

• See further: Proverbs 2:10-22 [cp. II Timothy 2:14-23; 3:1-5,14-17; 4:1-5,18); Proverbs 5:1-23; 6:1-35; 7:1-27; 23:19-21.

God Vs. The Cancel-Culture of the World

This study on Fathers is really a call to put on our armor and resist the culture war that is happening today. The "Woke" movement, the "reboot" of society, is just another ungodly attempt to "deplatform," "Censure," "Ban / Block" God, His word, and His people. Politics, media, entertainment, and religion are deeply entrenched with compromise and deception.

This study on Fathers cited things that would seem very simple and obvious to some. But in view of the attacks on Biblical subjects as marriage, family, roles of men and women, sex, etc., we need to make all efforts to stand for God and truth - to remove not the ancient landmarks of right and wrong (Ephesians 6:10-18; Romans 12:1-2,21; 13:8-14; II Corinthians 10:3-5; I John 4:1-6).