Devotional Thoughts about Wisdom and Older People
Many of us have dismissed our parents’ cautions against some of our decisions. The introductory story in this lesson is taken from my own experience as a young adult with my first car.
Because my dad had often taken our family on long road trips, my plan to make a 1000-mile round trip by myself didn’t seem extreme to me. I thought I’d just be enjoying one of the perks of finally being an adult. But I didn’t consider the age of my car nor the fact that my dad was a mechanic and I was not.
After I’d returned home safely by God’s grace and it was all over, I was annoyed that my dad had been proven right—again! Only then did I begin to realize the value of experience and wisdom. It requires some humility.
The older counselors recommended that Rehoboam acknowledge his father’s excessive taxation and that he serve the people by lightening their burden. His homies advised him to react to the people’s valid grievance by flaunting his power with haughty threats.
Rehoboam chose the latter, even parroting his friends’ extreme metaphors of whips and scorpions. God planned to use this situation to divide the kingdom of Israel as judgment for idolatry, but Rehoboam was responsible for his part in it, and he suffered the humiliating consequences.
Listening to what older people have to say and giving weight to their words lies at the heart of honoring one’s parents. Lord, please help me to practice this attitude.
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