Call to worship:

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you judge the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
    let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase;
    God, our God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us;
    let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Psalm 67:4-7

Questions for reflection:

Can we broaden our perspectives on what it means to be a parent?

Can we broaden our perspectives around what is sacred?

If our kids are near to God, or far from Him, can we keep trusting them to God?

Corporate Prayer:

Father,

Make us understand the way of your precepts, and we will meditate on your wondrous works. Grant us vision to see your Son and the grand work of redemption yesterday, today, and forever. Give us ears to hear and a heart to obey all that the Spirit would will for our lives.

May you increase as we decrease.

In Christ we pray.

Amen.

Notes//Quotes//Slides:

Proverbs 22:6 - Anthony

(a) the moral view 

The first view is that ‘his way’ refers to the path of morality, righteousness and wisdom. Usually, however, when the word ‘way’ is used in this manner it has a qualifier or adjective: i.e. the way of life (6:23), the way of understanding (9:6), the good way (2:20), the way of righteousness (16:31), or the evil way (2:12), the way of the wicked (4:19). Since there is no qualifier in our verse, this view is unlikely.

(b) the vocational view 

The second view is that ‘his way’ refers to the child’s vocation. This is unlikely because in the ancient Near East children were normally trained to follow the father’s foot- steps. Choosing a career or vocation is a modern concept.

(c) the personal aptitude view 

The third view is that ‘his way’ refers to the child’s developing capacities, interests, and inclinations. Some preachers say that since the word ‘way’ comes from a verb which can be used for bending a bow, that we should understand here the idea of a child’s ‘bent’. This is bad linguistic methodology. Some scholars like Bruce Waltke, however, do use appropriate linguistic methodology and argue that the initiation has to fit the mental and physical abilities of the child. This view is incorrect, however, because it is based on understanding na ̔ar as a child. It also does not fit well with the notion of ‘initiation’ rather than ‘train’ as the meaning of the verb.

(d) the status view 

The meaning of “the way” must be determined by the noun to which the pronoun his refers. If na ̔ar is understood as a squire (an adolescent on the cusp of maturity), then it may be suggested that “according to his way” means according to the office or role that he will occupy.

“Becoming a parent? Someone said it's an invisible tidal wave that hits you with such force that you lose your breath and never quite get it back.”

- Fredrick Backman

“I have to have a pattern of discipline in my life that enables me to steadily feed and nourish my soul and my body with the things that will enable me to be God's person where I am.”

- Dallas Willard