Gladdening the Father's Heart
The Sapphire Review Vol. 1 | No. 20 • October 4, 2024
“My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me.”
Here a son is being exhorted to walk wisely for two specific purposes. First, to gladden the heart of his father. Second, so that his father might have an answer to give to the reproacher.
AGENTS OF REPROACH
As we consider this verse, let us start with a definition for reproach:
1. To charge with a fault in severe language.
2. To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing.
The one bringing reproach to the father in this verse is an adversarial type of person. He brings charges of fault and blame to the father regarding his son. Therefore, the father exhorts the son to live wisely, so that he may give an honorable answer to any accusations that may come his way.
In scripture, we can find at least two agents who bring forth a reproach.
First, Satan is called both our adversary1 and the accuser of the brethren:
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10)
Next, we see an account in Nehemiah2 where he is rebuking the upper class people for how they were treating their brethren. As a result of their selfish and unwise choices, Nehemiah exclaimed that their enemies now had a valid case of reproach to bring against the people of God.
“Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?” (Nehemiah 5:9)
AN ANSWER TO REPROACH
In Job we read that Satan roams around throughout the earth.
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” (Job 1:7)
In Peter we find the purpose for Satan’s roaming.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8)
As adversaries to God’s people, the spiritual forces of darkness are on a daily hunt to destroy lives and to be agents of reproach. They look for every opportunity to cause God’s people to stumble and to bring every possible accusation against them.
In answer to Satan, God says of Job:
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8)
In Job, God found a servant, who lived a righteous life. He feared God, and thus walked wisely.3 As a result of Job’s life, God was able to give an answer to the adversary… the accuser of the brethren… the agent of reproach.
A VALID CASE OF REPROACH
As we look out at Christendom across the world today, we certainly do not find a generation of people who walk in the fear of God. We do not find a generation of people who walk by the spirit, but rather one that walks by the flesh.4
The lukewarm,5 the carnal,6 the lovers of money,7 and the worldly minded8 in Christendom today leave our Father in heaven with no answer to the reproaches brought before Him regarding their lives.
If we live worldly life, or one where we are continually defeated by the same sins, we bring reproach to the name of Christ. Thus the enemy and people around us that know we claim to be Christians, can make valid accusations against us before God.
WALKING WISELY
In order to walk wisely, we must first know where to start.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)
Thus having a proper fear of the LORD brings us to a place where our steps can be taken with wisdom. And how do we develop this proper fear of the LORD? We again look to God’s Word:
“Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.” (Deuteronomy 8:6)
“Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” (Deuteronomy 13:4)
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Fearing God and keeping His commandments go hand in hand. As we delight in the law of God9 and keep His ten commandments out of love for Him,10 we will find that a proper fear of God naturally develops.
DRAWING THE LINE
The Bible plainly tells us that there can be no fellowship between light and darkness.11
With the ten commandments as our moral foundation and the spirit of Christ12 as our guide, we must shun every habit, every manner of speech, every behavior, every form of music, every website, every television show, every movie, every game, every venue of entertainment and pleasure, every friendship that draws us into sin, and everything that glorifies the god of this world13 rather than the only true God14 of heaven who created all things15 and gave us life.16
What is to be gained by living our lives like those who live for the world? Are we not called to shine as the light of a city on a hill to the darkened and depraved world around us?17 How brightly can we shine if our lights are smothered with veils of worldly thoughts and pursuits.
These smothering veils not only dampen our lights, but serve as causes of reproach, to which our Father can give no answer.
OVERCOME
However if, by a fully surrendered life, the faith of Jesus, and the strength that God gives us,18 we overcome sins and turn away from pursuing the things of the world, the accusations brought against us will not stand.19 Then, the heart of our Father is made glad, and our prayers will be a delight to Him.20
If John wrote that he has no greater joy than to hear that his spiritual children were walking in the truth,21 we can be assured that the God whose spirit inspired John to write those words, is pleased when we walk in truth and live upright lives in this wicked world.22
PRAYER
May God help us all to walk with increasingly more wisdom in every year that goes by. May we be quick to let go of all things the bring reproach, and to cling to those things which will gladden the heart of our Father in heaven.23
God Bless,
Charles
