Proverbs 13 is filled with financial concepts. It's not relationship advice or being right with God, or even the value of wisdom. So much is specifically about money and how to get it and keep it. It largely boils down to diligence and decency. Work hard and treat people right, and things will probably work out. There's a lot more to it than that, but what stuck out to me today is a famous verse that I never knew was in this context. "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciples him diligently." (Proverbs 13:24)
At first, I wondered if this was a call to teach financial education to your children, which certainly isn't a bad idea, but I don't think that's really why it's in this section of Proverbs. Raising a child requires the same kind of discipline that applies to your work. You need to be diligent, watchful, and "mind your business" to prosper financially. It requires being faithful now to stay on top of things so that it can work out well in the long run.
Disciplining a child works the same way. You have to stay on top of it and keep things on track with an eye to the future. Catch and correct that behavior when it's just an annoying kid thing before it has a chance to be a deep-seated habit that will be a serious problem as an adult. Don't allow laziness, sloppy work, or selfishness to slide just because he's a kid. If you give it time, that stuff turns into massive character flaws, and it's easier to correct it early. Those little fibs might not seem like a huge deal, but an adult who is comfortable with lying is a serious problem.
It's not fun because no good parent really enjoys disciplining their kids. And it's exhausting because you never get to take a break from it. But it has to be done for his life to go well in the long run. If you truly love him, you will do it.
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