The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 46

Vers. 8, 9.-The duty and the beauty of filial piety. The wise teacher here com- mends to us the excellency of the filial spirit. And it is worthy of notice that be exhorts the young to be obedient to their mother as well as mindful of the counsels of their father. We think of- I. THE DUTY OF FILIAL PIETY, based npon and arising from : .1. The relation itself. It is enough that our parents are our parents, and that we are their offspring. On that simple ground it behoves us to listen and to obey. 2. 'l'he fact that• they have expended on uslfar more than any other beings. Who shall measure the thought, the anxiety, the solicitude, the prayers, the labours, the sacrifices, which they have cheer- fully devoted to .us? 3. The fact that it is the will of God that we should render such filial honour (Exod. :xx. 12 ; Lev. xix. 3 ; Deut. v. 16; Epb. vi: 2). II. THE BEAUTY OF FILIAL PIETY. " They shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck" (ver. 9). Youth, especially young manhood, is apt to think that there is something unbecoming, ungraceful if not disgraceful, in rendering filial obedience; it is apt to imagine that there is something admirable in bre1Lking away, in even early years, from parental guidance, and establishing an independenc(j of judg- ment and action. In truth, there is nothing more offensive, nothing morally uglier, than such premature assertiveness. On the other hand, nothing is more comely, nothing more attractive, nothing more intrinsically beautiful, .than :filial devotedness. It has all the best elements of spiritual excellency: (1) humility, a lowly view of our- selves; (2) responsiveness to strong and tender love; (3) the recognition of real worth, of the claims of age and wisdom; ( 4) cheerful acceptance of the ordination of nature, and acquiescence in the will of God. Those who illustrate the duty of filial piety live in the admiration of the wise, and walk in the sunshine of the smile of the Supreme.-O; Vers.10--19.-The peril and the wisdom of youth: a sermon to the yo'/J,'fl,g. How many hnman lives are nothing better than failures! How m11ny souls are there that " make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience" ! Over how many of the children of men do the wise and the holy mourn, as those who might have done well o1,nd wrought good, but who have turned aside to follr, guilt,_ and ruin! As a rule, these bavo _gono utray in their younger days. Temptat10n assailed them when they were comparatively unarmed, attacked them when least prepared to resist, and they were overcome. Our text suggests- L THE PECULIAR PEBIL OF YOUTH. Youth 'is endangered by three things. 1. Tho invitations of the unholy. "Sinners entice it." Companionship is dear to the young, and is very powerful over it. Its heart is open, trustful, responsive. It rejoices with a keen delight in the confidences of friendship. And when one whose advances have been received and who has been welcomed as a congenial companion, says," Como," it is hard for fri~ndship to rJfuse; this more especially when the solicitation comes from him who has a strong will or an amiable and fascinating disposition. 'l'he heart of youth ;s Yery powerfully drawn, sometimes to good, but too often to evil, by tbo ch,um cm. r. 1-33.) 'l'HE PROVERBS. 31 I of cculy friendship. 2. The subtlety of sin (ver. 17). Sin makes a very fair promise, but its word is false, its coin is counterfeit. (1) It professes disinterestedness (ver. 14), but it ie utterly selfish at heart. (2) It affects to be able to hide all traces and elude all evil consequences of its acts (ver. 12), but it cannot: the blood which it sheds will cry to Heaven for retribution. (3) It offers gain and satisfaction (vers. 13, 19), but it con- stantly fails to secure its immediate object, and it never brings real and lasting joy to the soul. 'l'he fowler does not spread the net in sight of the bird, or he would fail. Sin keeps its snares well out of view ; it proceeds with cruel cunning; it shows the present pleasure, and hides the coming shame, and so it secures its victims. 3. The appeal ofpowerful instincts. The love of daring exploits has led many a young man to consent when sinners have said, "Come, let us attack the victim, that we may seize the prey" (vers. 11, 12). Guilty violence shapes itself as manly daring. And the instinct of acquisition, the desire to obtain and to possess (vers. 13, 19), often leads astray. Greediness of gain begins in a desire to be rich, an ambition to have abundance. II. THE EARNEST SOLICITUDE OF THF: WISE, There is an air of earnestness, a tone of deep solemnity, about these words of the wise man. " My son, if sinners entice thee," etc. (ver. 10); "My son, walk not thou in the way," etc. (ver. 15). Here is the urgency of a tender solicitude ; here are the pleadin!!s of profound affection. And why? Because the wise man (the father, minister, teacher) knows; 1. That sin means ruin to others (ver. 16). The path of evi-1 is marked with blood: it is the track which is trodden by death itself; it is red with the blood of souls. 2. That sin is the supreme mistake. It is really laying wait for itself, to compass its own miserable end (ver. 18); it is robbing itself of all the excellency of life in order to secure its gains (ver. 19). Men too often "lose their life for the sake of the means of livinl!," They expend on the means all those resources of their manhood which should be devoted to life itself. Sin is suicidal; the young who are yielding themselves to a life of ungod- liness and ·guilt may well be the object of the most fervent anxiety, of the most tender, tearful pity of the wise. III. THE WAY 6F VICTORY. And there is no other way than that of decisive refusal at once. As soon as the alluring voice says," Come," let the resolute reply be heard, "I will not." Let the lips of holy resentment open at once to say, "Depart from mP., ye evil-doers; I will keep the commandments of my God" (Ps. cxix. 115). To hesitate is to risk everything. Speak a strong, unwavering refusal on the spot.-C.