Passing Along God’s Wisdom (Daily Refresh, 10-12-26)
What if the choices you make today could shape someone else’s life for years to come?
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”
It reminds us that our actions don’t just affect us—they also act as an example, guiding and directing others, whether we realize it or not. And which direction we guide others… matters.
When you trust Him, God can use your consistent acts of faithfulness over time to plant His wisdom deep in a person’s heart.
The book of Proverbs is a powerful collection of wisdom meant to teach people how to live well and thrive according to God’s values. Throughout Proverbs, parents are encouraged to pass that wisdom on to their children. It’s one of the clearest examples of the Bible telling us exactly what Scripture is for. The goal is not simply to pass on rules to follow, but to train others to see clearly so they can recognize the difference between the path of wisdom and the path of foolishness.
Proverbs 22:6 isn’t saying that parents can control the choices their children make. Instead, it points to the lasting influence of faithful, consistent guidance.
This kind of influence takes time and genuine care. It happens through repeated conversations, everyday choices, Scripture, prayer, correction, encouragement, and setting an example. If you’re not sure where to start, consider inviting a child, friend, or family member to begin a simple practice with you: reading one chapter of the book of Proverbs each day. It is full of God’s powerful wisdom for a thriving life.
Whether you’re guiding a child, mentoring someone younger, or simply trying to live faithfully before others, remember this: you may not see the results of your faithfulness today. That doesn’t mean you aren’t making an impact. Keep going. Trust God with what you cannot see. Trust that when you plant God’s wisdom, over time, it will take root and grow.
My Thoughts
In our Monday night Bible Study Group, we are studying the Book of Proverbs, and Chapter 22 was our study for last week. This verse is a principle, not a promise. God doesn’t force our children to make right choices and to follow Him and neither can we force them. But we can trust that God will bring a harvest from the seeds that we sow. Even when we don’t see the change that we want to see or the life we expect our children to live, we can still know that God is being faithful. We have three children. The oldest, our daughter, left following the Lord for a while. But then, she returned and has led her husband and family to faith in the Only One who can save and make a difference in people’s lives. Our middle son goes to a traditional, old-fashioned church, following the lead of his wife who grew up in that denomination. I have nothing against the denomination, but I know that our son does not have the relationship with God that I would like for him and his children to have. I cannot change choices, but I can continue to scatter seeds. Our youngest son is not going to church, not following God and not really including God in his life, at least not as far as I can see. His life is the product of busyness, so many activities for the children, but church is not one of them. I pray daily that he and his wife will return to the faith roots in which they were both raised. The seeds were sown, but they only found fertile ground for a while. The “cares of this world” took over and that’s where we are today. Have I given up? No. I throw out seeds when I can, especially to the grandchildren, telling them Bible stories and teaching them children’s songs about the Lord. My heart’s desire is for all of them to return to the Lord, but that is their choice. I can only scatter the seeds and say what the Spirit prompts me to say.
All of this is to say that we should not be discouraged when the seeds we sow don’t seem to be growing. God knows what is happening in the root system and He can bring about unexpected and marvelous changes. God is good, and He loves each of my children much more than I do. So I am entrusting their eternity to Him, even as I do my part to remind them of the seeds of their childhood and scatter new seeds for them to ponder.
Do you have someone in your family that needs the Lord? God’s Word will not return to Him void but will accomplish what HE has purposed, not necessarily what we expect to happen. So, sow and water and wait. In God’s timing, the blooming will come. I truly believe that. Do you?
