The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Proverbs 23:24 KJV
The power in generational blessing is best seen in the life of Abraham. All of us who have come into faith in Christ take our example from Abraham. We see his faith, and we see how he made sure to teach his children the way of the Lord. Even God testified of Abraham in these words: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Genesis 18:19 KJV. Can God say the same about me today? Can he trust the lives of men into my hands? God knows and understands the power of generational impact, and that is the message in today's extract also.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice. It won't happen by accident; it will be the result of careful and deliberate nurturing and upbringing. The father of the righteous would have also been righteous, so he can teach the children the way of the Lord. It will be a joy for a father to walk with God and then to pass on the lessons of that walk to his children. Do I know this God, and am I walking in his ways? Can my children see the light of God in me and are they drawn to that light? And it is not just my biological children, but every life that God allows to come in contact with me. What legacies am I leaving for the children living with me now, or the ones that will still come my way?
The joy that comes to the father of the righteous does not always mean that the end will always be palatable. Following God does not always mean that the road will be smooth but there is an assurance of joy at the end of it all. There will be the pain of discipline and correction on the road to joy. There will be the discomfort of rebuke on the road to joy. When joy comes, you do not remember the pains of the past. When joy comes, the past is wiped clean.
He that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Again, the child does not earn or inherit wisdom by virtue of birth or by account balance; it is learned. It takes time and effort. The father would have also acquired wisdom, not by brute force but by a careful search for it from the true source, who is God. It is quite important that I learn the power behind legacies. There is nothing done in vain when it comes to God. All that man does is a seed that is put in the ground of life and will germinate and bring forth fruit in the process of time. That fruit will be eaten by men, whether good or bad. That fruit will impact men, whether they are ready or not. That fruit has an eternal end in view. I have a duty to make sure it is the right kind of fruit. I have a duty to ensure that Jesus' life is evident to those in and around my life. His time of favour is here.
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