Grace Baptist Church, Nokomis, IL.

Text:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

We gain so much more from the book of Proverbs when we understand each of the proverbs in context. Proverbs 1:7 sounds very familiar to us. It’s interesting that this verse is immediately followed by an admonition to receive instruction from our parents.

“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.” (Proverbs 1:8)

But why should we do this?

“For they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” (Proverbs 1:9)

These were things that distinguished people as prominent. Fathers and mothers have a great responsibility to teach the fear of the Lord, and children have a great responsibility to heed their instruction.

“But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ, and spreads through us in every place the scent of knowing Him. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are a scent of death leading to death, but to others, a scent of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? For we are not like the many who make a trade in God’s message for profit, but as those with sincerity, we speak in Christ, as from God and before God. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or like some, do we need letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, recognized and read by everyone, since it is plain that you are Christ’s letter, produced by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not on stone tablets but on tablets that are hearts of flesh. We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ: not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-3:5)

The end of chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians really resonates with me as a pastor. It reminds me that I have no authority except that which God has given me (2:17).

When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.

“Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?”

“Sorry,” the woman told him. “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.”

“But I’m starved,” the governor said.

“Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.”

Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. “Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.”

“Do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.”

As Paul said about himself, I have no letters of recommendation (v. 1). I don’t hang my seminary degree on the wall in my office. My previous education or experience have no weight in terms of my relationship with you now. They may have been important in initially bringing me here, but what do they matter now? The only reason for you to listen to my voice is because I seek to be faithful to bring God’s Word to you.

What matters now is how I minister among you. The fruit of my ministry is you (v. 2-3). The question is: am I being faithful today in the position that God has placed me in? Now, some of you may be thinking, “I thought this was going to be a message about being a good steward of my family.” Ask yourself this: are you being faithful today in the position God has placed you in within your family?

How our kids turn our often shows how faithful we were to raise them.

Charles Francis Adams, 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: “Went fishing with my son today–a day wasted.” His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: “Went fishing with my father–the most wonderful day of my life!” How we invest in our children ultimately determines what kind of people they will become.

This isn’t always the case, but it is a general principle (Proverbs 22:6). But we are certainly to treat it as if it were a universal law. We’re not to hope that our kids will turn out okay despite our lack of instruction. Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression. We’re to give them ample instruction, encouragement, praying for them earnestly to know the Lord and walk with Him.

But be humble about it (v. 4-5). We’re to have confidence not in our abilities, but in the grace of God working through us.

But being a family planted on the gospel means more than simply having parents who instruct their children in God’s Word. Not only should children be the pride of their parents, but parents ought to be the pride of their children (Proverbs 17:6). Our children ought not disown us, but enjoy us as their parents and be grateful.

But we can’t force this attitude upon them. We need to do things for them and with them that will allow this attitude to arise within them.

A man in the supermarket was pushing a cart which contained, among other things, a screaming baby. As the man proceeded along the aisles, he kept repeating softly, “Keep calm, George. Don’t get excited, George. Don’t get excited, George. Don’t yell, George.” An elderly woman watching with admiration said to the man, “You are certainly to be commended for your patience in trying to quiet little George.” The man turned to the woman with an exhausted look and replied, “Ma’am, I’m George.”

There’s a place for discipline in the home. But let’s make the bulk of the interactions with our children about modeling the type of people they’re to be. As believers, our relationships with one another, including those with our families and with those in the larger family of Christ, ought to be pleasing to God (2:14-15).

The result is that those who know Christ are being built up in their faith. Another result is that those who refuse to accept Christ harden their hearts even more (v. 16). If we’re faithful to God, we’re going to carry an aroma with us wherever we go. To some it will be a delight. Like the smell of freshly baked cookies. To others it will be a stench. Like the smell of isocyanide.

Isocyanide is a chemical used in the production of many types of foams and plastics. It’s said to smell so bad that it has potential to be used as a non-lethal weapon, causing people to be simply overpowered by its odor.

How can we take on such a responsibility? How can we teach our children or even share the gospel with anyone knowing that some will reject it? Verse 17 gives us three characteristics that we should strive to be as we share the gospel both inside and outside the home.

1. Be sincere (v. 17). Don’t be a hypocrite. Be transparent. Be loving.
2. Understand that this is God’s purpose for your life (v. 17).
3. Share the truth of Christ. Not as peddlers, speaking a message to benefit ourselves, but in the sight of God.