Day 355
Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17
A Proverb That Is More Than a Proverb
Today’s Proverb reminds us of a theme that is not new in Scripture. “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.” The importance of honoring father and mother even made the “Top Ten.” Commandments, that is. (Exodus 20:12)
Did the Biblical authors think all parents were brilliant advice-givers? Of course not. They had parents themselves! Were all parents moral paragons? Of course not. The proverb is not about pretending that parents are perfect. Rather, the proverb, like the commandment, is about the importance of honoring these central relationships in our lives.
This Proverb is about much more than taking parents’ advice on every topic. It is about honoring the relationships that form the foundation of society and community. If that is true, then obeying this Proverb means more than a simplistic practice of taking our parents’ advice. In God’s design, it is with our parents that we learn what it is to be in relationship. If we come to despise those relationships, as the Proverb warns us, the community on which we depend collapses, and we are bird food. So this Proverb reminds us of the importance of honoring these foundational relationships. That is not always simple, nor easy, but it is necessary.
How do you honor your relationship with your parents? How will you honor them this Christmas season?
The Rev. Eric Turner
St. John’s
Melbourne, FL