A foolish son is ruin to his father,
and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
Proverbs 19:18 (ESV)
Discipline your son, for there is hope;
do not set your heart on putting him to death.
Proverbs 19:26 (ESV)
He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
is a son who brings shame and reproach.
Proverbs 19:27 (ESV)
Cease to hear instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
It is clear that Solomon wanted children to learn from parents. It is also clear that parents are to speak truth to their children. Yet, we read that discipline can be given but a child can also reject that discipline. When that happens the child runs into ruin. The parent then shares in that ruin. This is one of the saddest cycles of life. Even the very best parents fall into this story: Adam (Cain), Issac (Jacob), David (Absalom), Eli (Hophni and Phinehas), and even Solomon (Rehoboam). We can teach and train and still suffer the consequences of sin in the lives of our children. They will make bad choices and the parent will, indeed, suffer for it. We are never done parenting. We are to continue to disciple and direct our children based upon truth. But if they cease to listen they will, in the end, bring ruin onto all those in connection with them.
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