Beginning Of Knowledge

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Proverbs 1:7-9 KJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck. Proverbs 1:7-9 Douay Rheins

My childhood was very simple while being raised with very simple parents.  Luxury items were not an option but that was the case for most middle to middle lower class families.  My mom kept her faith to herself while my dad did not have time for faith.  My wife and I share our faith openly with our two children.  My wife disciplined our kids setting the foundation of being on "the Rock" of Christ.  She was amazing were I could be the dad where the kids came to me for "wisdom". 

Dont get me wrong, without my wife's wisdom in disciplining our child(ren), I could not give the wisdom of the reason's why and how to better handle in the future.  There is fine balance where children need both.  My wife was 100% correct in laying down the law of the house but there was also a point where it could go to the extremes.  it was the same with me where the wisdom I could teach could also go to the extremes.  My goal was to give my kids "Logical Wisdom with Reasoning" when they did certain things in life.  I made up this term but received it through the Lord's Wisdom with the stories which told the Lord's reason or reasoning for the story(ies) in the Holy Bible.  

Jesus used the same approach with the 12 apostles.  One could say my wife and I played good cop/bad cop but that would not be true.  My wife provided the law and the enforcement, I provided the "Logical Reasoning with Wisdom".  I dont have perfect children as no one does.  Our children are wonderful human beings with shortcomings like everyone else.  They test the boundaries even today as young adults living on their own.  They are good kids because of my wife laying down the law.  

I am very thankful to the Lord in providing me the best mother and wife for my children and myself.  She has been truly amazing.  The challenge we face is once our kids are grown, does the law of the mother still prevail and the wisdom of the father?  There are times it does but once they reach a certain age it is up to them to use "Logical Reasoning with Wisdom" of the father through the Laws of the Mother. 

My parents did discipline us as kids but not through the eyes of the Lord.  I wish they had but they did not which led me down a path of atheism.  I feel sorry for the Children who dont get this same type of commitment from their parents.  The next blog will delve into this area.