WISDOM IN OUR HEARTS (6)

“My son, if YOUR HEART is wise, MY HEART will rejoice – indeed, I myself” – Proverbs 23:15

God’s Heart rejoices when there is WISDOM in OUR HEARTS: “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” (Pro.23:15-16). Here, the father was speaking of what made his heart glad.  He rejoiced that his son had a wise heart. Wisdom was what he valued most in his son – a wisdom that sees life as God sees it. This father lived to see his son gain a wise and discerning heart. His most important goal was to live a life of wisdom and godliness. He laboured to see his boy become a man who longed to do the will of God above anything else in his life. 

Knowing that our children are making good, godly choices will make our lives and hearts glad. This father also stated that his inmost being – “I myself” – would rejoice on hearing his son speaking what is right. The heart is the innermost, deepest, and most private seat of emotion and joy in a person. We rejoice when our heart is blessed at the core level of our faith, values, and principles. Jesus taught us that it was out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth spoke (Mt.12:34). So when we hear our sons speaking what is right, it tells us that God has worked in their hearts. This father was excited watching his son make godly decisions. Do we as fathers (and mothers) acknowledge that our most important job is to strive to see our sons become wise and godly?

Solomon encouraged children to live wisely in order to bring honour and gladness to the hearts of their parents. This represents a tender, heartfelt statement of hope and vision that the father had for his child’s life and future; he anticipated, hoped and believing that his child will turn out to be a person of wisdom, who makes right and godly choices in life. Earlier in Proverbs 10:1, Solomon stated: “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.” The Living Bible says, “Happy is the man with a level-headed son; sad the mother of a rebel.” Further along in the Proverbs is an advocacy for children to study to become wise: “My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me” (Pro.27:11).

Wisdom comes from God.  If we are going to have wise sons, it will be because we have taught them the things of God. Wise children come from wise parents who both understand the Word, and apply it in daily life (Deut.6:6-9). If Christian parents would devote quality time to nurturing their sons into strong men in the Spirit, we'd witness spiritual revolutions in the church and in society.

In this brief portion of Proverbs 23, the teacher – representing our Father-God – addressed his disciples as sons, to illustrate that the state or condition of our hearts means a great deal to Him. God delights in our hearts displaying His Wisdom, through the right attitudes, choices, decisions, and actions. In addition to verse 15, there are two other calls to the “son” by the father, namely:

Verse 19 – “Hear, my son, and BE WISE; and GUIDE YOUR HEART in the way.” To be wise is to guide our hearts in the Way of the Lord. Wisdom demands that we align our hearts with God’s Word and His Will, and thus become a people after His Heart.

Verse 26 – “My son, GIVE ME YOUR HEART, and let your eyes observe my ways.” God desires to have our hearts more than our works, because our hearts direct our hands. He cherishes receiving the freewill offering of our hearts. The wise heart will keep and protect us from the harlot’s deep pit, the seductress’ narrow well, and the biting sting of intoxicating wine (vv.26-35).

The Father’s Call to His “sons” to embrace Wisdom in our hearts is sounding afresh! Would we heed this divine instruction?