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Proverbs 23:15-16

Proverbs 23:16

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Pastor Martin expounds Proverbs 23:15-16, emphasizing that a father's greatest joy comes from his children possessing true wisdom, which is evidenced by their speech. He argues against the worldly standards of success (academic achievement, physical attractiveness) and instead champions the biblical standard of a wise heart manifested in righteous lips. Martin applies this to parenting, encouraging parents to instill in their children that God-given wisdom, even in humble vocations, is the ultimate source of parental pride and God's glory.

Primary Texts

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Proverbs 23:15-16 This passage forms the core of the sermon, with Martin dissecting the father's expression of joy over his son's wisdom and righteous speech.

Outline 4 sections · 3 min

  1. The Father's Joy in a Wise Heart and Righteous Lips 0:01
  2. Redefining Parental Pride: Wisdom Over Worldly Success 1:21
  3. The Biblical Standard is Realistic 2:25
  4. God's Instrument for Standing Against Worldly Pressure 2:37

Key Quotes

“my son if thy heart be wise my heart will be glad even mine yea my heart will rejoice now notice when thy lips speak right things son do you want to make me glad then have a wise heart”
“out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks he connects the heart and the mouth and says my son make me glad my heart will rejoice if you have true wisdom and i'll know you have true wisdom when your lips speak right things”
“the thing that will make us glad is not that they're phi beta kappa in college, that they're valedictorian of the class, that they're pretty, that they're handsome or anything else, but they have the wisdom of God in their hearts, and it comes out on their lips.”
“Your capacity in life, son, may be no more than to collect the garbage, a noble and necessary function in society, and if time proves that that's the limit of your capacity and the borders of divine providence, then your father and mother will be proud of you if your empty garbage cans with all your heart to the glory of God with a consistent testimony before your fellow garbage collectors.”
“If it's biblical, it's not unrealistic.”

Applications

All listeners

  • Teach your children that true parental gladness comes from their having the wisdom of God in their hearts, evidenced by their lips, not from worldly achievements or appearances.
  • Be proud of your children if they perform any noble and necessary function in society, even humble ones, with all their heart to the glory of God and maintain a consistent testimony.
  • Embrace the biblical standard of a wise heart manifested by speaking wise things, as it is God's instrument to help your children stand against worldly pressures.

A full transcript is available on the tab. 4 paragraphs, roughly 3 minutes.

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