Crowning Glory

Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged;

parents are the pride of their children. Proverbs 17:6

CERTAINLY THE FIRST PART of this proverb is easy to grasp. We know that something seems to happen to people when they become grandparents —they become thoroughly convinced that they have the cutest, smartest grandchildren ever born. But the second part of this proverb forces us to stop and think. We might expect it to say that children are the pride of their parents. But it says instead that “parents are the pride of their children.”

There are plenty of times as parents when we sense that we are really the embarrassment of our children. At least it can seem that way. As we think it through, we realize that we really do have the ability to bring honor or shame to our children by the way we live, the choices we make, and the legacy we leave. As much as we can be consumed with our children living lives that will bring us great joy as we age, this proverb leads us to ask if we are rightly concerned with living lives that will bring great joy to our children as they age. Are we so anchored in Christ, so dependent upon him, that our children will have cause to take pride in our authentic faith?

Lord, forgive me for often being so concerned with how the lives and choices of my children reflect on me that I give little thought to how my life and choices reflect on them. Lord, I want my life —my love for you, my faithfulness to my family, my service to God’s people —to bring joy and honor to my children and grandchildren. Keep me from sin that would bring shame on my family.

What we all need is for you to shape our thoughts, feelings, and desires so that we will glory in what pleases you. May the boast of every generation in our family be that we know you and that we are joined to you in a bond that cannot be broken, in a way that is changing each of us day by day.