Chapters 10-15 of Proverbs consist entirely of comparisons made between the wise and the foolish.  The Lord Who made us, understands how our minds work.  We always crave comparisons.  It is part of our very nature.  Over the next weeks as we look at these comparisons, we should examine ourselves and question honestly – which category do we fall in – wise or foolish? 

Proverbs 10:1

 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father:

but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

The pride a man can have in his son is to be expected.  Every man wants to make himself over, except “better.”  When the son grows up pleasing his father with his behavior and choices, the father’s heart is gladdened in a way that most women have trouble understanding. 

At the same time, when a son does things that she deems to be  immoral and/or destructive to himself and others, it is a heaviness on the mother’s heart that most men would have trouble understanding.  Fathers  can usually forgive their son’s moral lapses more easily than mothers can.   For her, this child of her body is laying boulders of pressing, hurtful weight.  Historically, women have been dependent on their sons, especially in the case of widowhood, which was not an unusual situation. 

We can think of the greatest Son who ever lived, Who, in the last few moments of His earthly life, had compassion on His mother, and appointed His most beloved disciple to care for her.  He was the wisest Son of all . . .

John 19:25-27

²⁵ Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶ When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son!

²⁷ Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Are you a wise son?  Or are you a foolish son?  As an adult – any rifts you have with your parents are not worth nurturing.  Not in the bigger picture of eternal life.  Do the wise thing – and gladden your father’s heart, and  relieve your mother’s .