Proverbs 23:12-25

Pay close attention to the teaching that corrects you, and open your heart to every word of instruction. Don’t withhold appropriate discipline from your child. Go ahead and punish him when he needs it. Don’t worry—it won’t kill him! A good spanking could be the very thing that teaches him a lifelong lesson! My beloved child, when your heart is full of wisdom, my heart is full of gladness. And when you speak anointed words, we are speaking mouth to mouth! Don’t allow the actions of evil men to cause you to burn with anger. Instead, burn with unrelenting passion as you worship God in holy awe. Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away. As you listen to me, my beloved child, you will grow in wisdom and your heart will be drawn into understanding, which will empower you to make right decisions. Don’t live in the excesses of drunkenness or gluttony, or waste your life away by partying all the time, because drunkards and gluttons sleep their lives away and end up broke! Give respect to your father and mother, for without them you wouldn’t even be here. And don’t neglect them when they grow old. Embrace the truth and hold it close. Don’t let go of wisdom, instruction, and life-giving understanding. When a father observes his child living in godliness, he is ecstatic with joy—nothing makes him prouder! So may your father’s heart burst with joy and your mother’s soul be filled with gladness because of you.