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STUDY 275

Text: Proverbs 24
1 October 2006

Dear Parents,

DEEP WISDOM
One of the challenges that parents face is that of giving “deep wisdom”. We have an example of deep wisdom in the following text.

Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

Proverbs 24:27

1. An ancient tradition of building your house

There was an old custom in ancient Israel when a young man is expected to be able to build his own house. (This custom is not peculiar to Israel though. In the US, it was no uncommon for frontiers men to build their own log cabins.)

2. Building the first house in the field

Where would the young man build his first house? The first house is not expected to be the best one, to be sure. Nevertheless the young man is encouraged to attempt building his own house.

a) It must first be “fit for yourself”.

b) Many lessons are learned along the way through the first building effort.

3. Building your own house

This phrase is deeper than meets the eye.

a) An improved model

The experience gained would enable to build the young builder to erect a better house the second time round.

b) The first frame of reference

This has to do with the actual building of another house. But this is not the only frame of reference.

c) The second frame of reference

This has to do with learning from life’s experiences. We must encourage our children to experience life. The experiences gained will stand them in good stead.

d) The third frame of reference

This is a veiled reference to setting up home. The person who is able to literally build a good home is ready for marriage.

Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie