by Bruce Billington

Weekly Devotional 2nd of October, 2026

In this session, we will continue examining Proverbs Chapter 13. This chapter presents a recurring contrast between the upright and the wicked. 

Proverbs 13:24-25 – “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently. 25 The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the stomach of the wicked is in need.”

Verse 24 - Loving parents seek to correct their children’s faults because their children’s lives, in areas such as favour, protection, healing, dignity, and prosperity, are at stake. This is not about being mean or mercilessly beating our children. It teaches that the home is the basic social unit for transmitting values; that parents have absolute values; that foolishness is bound up in the child’s heart; and that it will sometimes take more than words to dislodge it. The English proverb, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” is biblical and has stood the test of time.

The biblical method of rearing is to love the child, which entails discipline, consistent values, and seeing children as a gift from God. The current Western world’s failure to continue this biblical practice has left its civilisation in moral chaos, and parents now hate what they see: “his end will be that he will hate his son, for he will see him, in the end, going forth to evil deeds.”

Verse 25 - God blesses the righteous because of their faithful living and diligent labour. They eat until they are fully satisfied. Jesus Himself promised that God will provide for all the needs of those who seek righteousness (Matthew 6:33). The wicked, however, may go to bed hungry. While God rains on the unjust as well as the just, the wicked live without the promise of God’s blessing and suffer the consequences of their sinful choices (Matthew 5:45).

It is interesting that these two Proverbs are put together, yet they do belong together. Wisdom and righteous living walk hand in hand. This set of proverbs shows how they help provide for one’s family, both now and in the future. If we live righteously, we are usually able to leave an inheritance for future generations, first because of God’s blessings and second because of our diligence and wise stewardship. 

These results come from living God’s Word and allowing His wisdom to work in our lives. As righteous parents, we love our children and are willing to do what God says is necessary to correct their wayward behaviour. In doing so, we are securing the future of our children and their children’s children. But consider this sobering fact, that so many of us have witnessed: one generation in a family can lose all that previous generations have gained. One foolish child, one parent who will not enforce discipline, one individual who is lazy or makes poor financial choices—any of these can cause a family’s spiritual legacy to be lost. On the other hand, righteous living brings God’s blessings and favour. It produces the discipline and wisdom needed for skilful living, including wise financial management.

We need to embrace these concepts, despite the challenges they may pose, so that we may enjoy the blessing of God throughout our lives and for generations to come. 

God bless you.