Tiny Devotional for Thursday, 12-17-2020

 A great good afternoon to all my friends and neighbors out there in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, juggling is a useful skill.

Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.
Proverbs 17: 6, NASB

 MANY things to share from this chapter, but this verse just seemed to call my name. 

Two parts to this proverb: grandchildren  and the old ; and, sons/fathers, which I’m gonna read as children/parents, unless I discover that there is a specifically-male truth here..

The first part of the verse is EASY! It’s GREAT to have grandchildren! Vanessa and I have LOTS of them (15!). So, I speak with direct experience on this: grandchildren are a wonder and a delight.

The second part of the verse is more difficult, because I don’t quite know how to parse it. 

Is it saying “the glory of (having) sons is (the crown of) fathers?” AS far as I can tell, JUST consulting this one English translation, that’s a perfectly valid reading, and, it works.

OR:

Is it saying that fathers are their sons’ glory? 

I can’t discount this interpretation, and it makes me think deep thoughts, starting with: 

What about father/son systems that are toxic?

My relationships with my father and step-father were toxic, until I was well into adulthood. As a part of cleaning up my side of the street (which was DIRTY!),  I accepted that my father and my step-father had both done the best they knew how to do.  Healing, reconciliation, and restoration followed.
In that process, and in what followed, YES! I’ve found glory.

Can glory can be found/created in the worst cases? Might need to revisit this.

Peace be on your household.

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