Proverbs 23:24-25 commentary; a wise child and a happy parent

24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

Here, at both ends of the passage it is said that a father and a mother of a righteous child will rejoice. That may be hard to imagine in America as this country has always appreciated a financially successful child rather than a child who is faithful to Christ and to His standards of morality. Parents who can even acknowledge the wisdom of their children, it must be assumed, must be wise themselves.

Parents who were raised themselves on the values popping out of their television sets, movies, or pop songs would probably have a hard time realizing that their child was righteous. They’d be more concerned with his sports stats, his income, and his education along with what kind of job he or she held. If they’re religious, chances are they are more concerned with his political views, how often he’s in church, and how he or she dresses and acts than what kind of walk with Christ they have.

But, a child who stands out as believing the Bible, uplifting and loving the Lord, and living with the fruit of the Spirit flowing from his or her behavior would be a treasure to righteous parents. It starts with how a young person s hears their parents.

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

How he or she treats and views his or her parents.

Proverbs 15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

And the converse of this Proverb is also true;

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

If you want to rejoice over a wise and righteous child then you need to be the person that you want them to be. The old saw “do as I say, not as I do” coming from a parent’s mouth, is wickedness and nonsense. Look at your child, imagine what kind of person you want them to be, and then YOU be that person.