The Pride And Joy Of Family

The Pride and Joy of Family

You can spot new grandparents a mile away. They usually grin from ear to ear and have a photo or two—or twenty—handy that shows their pride and joy. One of the beautiful things about family is the power it has to be a source of pride. As a grandchild, you don’t have to do anything to earn your grandparents’ affection. They’re going to love you and try to spoil you (in a good way) no matter what.

In Proverbs 17:6 we read that “grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.”

The first part of that verse makes sense, but the second part makes you think, Didn’t Solomon mean to say, “Children are the pride of their parents”?

To understand the first part, think about it from your parents’ perspective. They have a lot of responsibility. Parents have to provide food, clothing, shelter, and education. Parents teach their kids how to live well, how to learn from mistakes (including a parent’s mistakes), and how to have a relationship with God. Parents want their kids to have a better life. Parents also want to please their own parents. You’ll always be your father’s daughter, even when you’re fifty. So when a grandchild comes along, the whole family is blessed. Because family is so important to God’s heart, he wants to see families grow and thrive. A grandchild guarantees a family will continue into the next generation.

For the second part, think how parents bear the family name before the kids do. A parent’s character and integrity reflect on their children. So naturally, parents have the opportunity to bring pride, or shame, on their kids.

Both parts of this verse remind us that we can make a difference to every generation in our family by the way we live. When we look back, wouldn’t it be nice to say that our words and actions brought our family a lot of pride and joy?

Daddy-Daughter Time

Talk together about past generations of your family. Did they follow the Lord? What made them special and honored? Tell each other about things the other does that make you proud. Dads need to know that their daughter is proud of them, just like daughters desire to know the same thing. Always seek to build up your family with your words and actions.

What’s The Word?

Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.   Proverbs 17:6