The Responsibility!

The Family

 "When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, 'Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.'"

Proverbs 4:3-4

"So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, you power to all those to come."

Psalm 71:18

Proverbs 4 is replete with wonderful exhortations for godly living for a young person.  Seeing that we have quite a few "young persons" in our family--13 grandchildren as of October--this passage is very meaningful to me.  And very convicting!  And when Psalm 71 also popped up in my morning devotional, I saw God's handwriting on the wall of my heart.

So many times we tend to focus on what the child should do and how he should act.  It's a good focus and not to be discarded.  But how does a child become who he is to become?  We cannot deny the responsibility of the parent to nurture, protect, and train. How did the sons in Proverbs 4 know that they should get wisdom, walk away from evil, or put away devious talk?

The parents taught and trained them!  

Notice in Proverbs 4:3 that even though the father was speaking, the mother was not left out of the picture.  In fact in Proverbs 1:8 the child is exhorted not to forsake his mother's teaching.  This applies to moms and dads alike.

But I am a grandmother. Where do I fit in?  Why does this bring conviction to my heart?  Not only do we have 13 grandchildren, but we have the privilege of having them close by.  Four (going on 5) of them live with us along with their mom and dad.  The Psalmist realized that he had a responsibility, and obviously a desire to proclaim God's might to the next generation.  

I do not want to settle into old age with the attitude that my job is done, that I have no more responsibility.  My heart's desire is to proclaim God's might to the next generation, to help train these wonderful blessings to become mighty men and women of God.  

There's plenty of time to rest when I get to heaven!

Asking for the mind and strength to continue on,

Gloria