I should have read Proverbs this morning

     Today, I didn't do a very good job of being a dad.  There are lots of ways I messed up but I'll just tell you about one of them and how it all might have been avoided if my son and I had read and applied Proverbs 10 this morning.  One of my sons directly disobeyed me when he decided to do what he wanted instead of what I had told him to do.  He should have had this on his brain:

A wise son makes a glad father, 

but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.(10:1)

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, 

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.(10:17)

     So, what did I do?  I took this as an opportunity to take all my frustration from the day out on him.  I spoke to him in a harsh way and bullied him instead of patiently disciplining him in a loving way with the Gospel in mind.  I needed to have this on my mind:

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (10:19)

The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, 

but the perverse tongue will be cut off. (10:31)

     There was one thing, by God's grace, that I got right.  I knew that I had wronged my son and spoken too harshly to him.  So, I went into his room and explained that he absolutely deserved the discipline he received, but that I had wrongly taken out my frustration on him.  I told him that it was wrong for me to speak to him in the way that I did.  I asked him to forgive me.  He did.  This scene reminds me of:

Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all offenses. (10:12) 

    Would all of this had been avoided if I had read Proverbs this morning?  I'm not sure. But, I'm really not sure I would want it to be different.  My choice to sin was wrong for sure, but by God's grace, sovereignty, and promises He worked "all things for good." 

Travis