Proverbs 23:15-35
Should a young person, when he has grown up, take account of his parents’ advice? He certainly should according to v. 22. This is part of the honour which is due to them, and one’s coming of age does not change this. It is a joy to Christian parents to see the fruits of their education in their children when they have grown up (vv. 15, 16, 24; and what importance v. 24 takes on if we apply it to the joy which the Father found in His well-beloved Son, the Righteous and Wise One beyond compare; Matthew 3:17).But above all, and before even our parents, the Lord has claims upon us. "My son, give me thine heart," He says to each one of us (v. 26). "I do not ask first of all for some part of your goods or your time but for your love. The rest will follow. In giving Me your whole heart," says the Lord Jesus, "you are only giving Me what belongs to Me, because I have bought it so dearly at Calvary."
The end of the chapter describes the tragic oblivion of the man stupefied by alcohol. He is overcome by the wine (Isaiah 28:1 end), incapable of resisting fleshly temptations (v. 33) and is completely ruined (v. 21).
Dear friend, what are you going to do with your heart?