[v.20-22] Are mother’s and father’s fulfilling their responsibility today? A teaching technique is needed that so fixes words of vital advice in the hearer’s heart that “they will talk” in their minds when the need arises.

But are children listening today? Attitudes in many parts of the world discourage children from being guided by their parents; of course, if parent’s provide no wise guidance, that adds to the tragedy. When children today become parents most see their responsibility as providing food, bed and clothing and sending them to school to be educated. All very good and necessary but Solomon says, “the reproofs of discipline are a way of life.” [v.23]

The result of a failure provide disciple when necessary leads, says Solomon, to “a worthless person, a wicked man (who) goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes …” [v.12,13] Life to such is a sort of game to be played! The way many (especially young people) live today is starting to reflect the point Solomon is making here.

Solomon then goes on to say that a “perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.” [v.14,15] Is not this prophetic, in a sense, of the fate awaiting our 21st Century’s way of life!?

Ch. 7 begins with this advice from Solomon to the rising generation, “keep my words and treasure up my commandments and live” The ultimate kind of living for those who do this and accept a divine relationship – and the responsibility of that relationship – is described in the words of Jesus we read today in Luke ch. 20. “Those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” [v.35,36]

Above all else we do in life, let us heed our Heavenly Father’s instruction.