Proverbs 22

The pursuit of money is the passion of many. Where does it all lead? Can it satisfy you? How many people pursue wealth above all, and yet find that riches seem to be far from their grasp?

If you want to have economic security, there are better ways and worse ways to pursue that goal. If being comfortable is a primary desire above all, it blinds a person, and leads to choices that are against the Word of the Lord. God is in charge of everything. Won't we all do better by seeking the Giver of every good gift as our highest desire?

What should we do when fear, greed, and covetousness arouse our interest more than the Lord? Repent. Tell Him about it. Ask for forgiveness, and let your mind be renewed by the Word and Spirit of God.

Look for prudence, humility, a generous heart, and the integrity of a good name. These are a better way to live than thinking that life is all about money. You will also tend to do better in life by paying attention to these matters of character, than in giving your heart over to covetousness.

Clarity of spirit is not only important to you, but also to any children or grandchildren you may have. They will see the pattern of your life that you may refuse to admit to yourself. Your descendants are being trained up in your passions. Train them up in the ways of humility and character, and trust the Lord to hold them in that good training throughout their lives. That kind of example will be very hard to run away from in the end.

Your children may sample a life of laziness and immorality in a world that has very different values than they were once taught. But can they really settle for that pig slop after seeing the peace and fruitfulness of the Lord's ways in your life? Like the wayward son in Luke 15, eventually they will think about the home they came from, and about the father they have left behind. Count on that, and pray for the wayward.

Have you disciplined your child in the ways of character? Was lying and stealing applauded in your home, or did it win the young ones some form of correction? Was it “survival of the fittest” in your playroom, or did not the strong have to share with the weak? Was laziness rewarded in your house? Didn't the young ones have to learn how to work hard in school and at home? Did you show them in word and action that the goodness and greatness of God was more important than anything else?

We can certainly find fault with our parenting and with our submissiveness as children. Even our wisest and most righteous acts are filthy when compared to the perfect righteousness of the perfect Son of God. He saw the way of His Father and He loved it and followed it. Did it lead Him to great wealth? In a way it did. The Son of God did His work very well, and now He is forever the King over all with all the fullness of glory under His authority. Yet the way to glory for Jesus was through suffering. His cross brought the generosity of divine forgiveness to us.

Have we failed as parents and children? Yes, but Jesus forgives us, and He has a new way of life for us now, even if it seems too late in the day for a new beginning.