Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6:20-23

My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,

I once had a friend who would regularly ask his young daughters a simple question: “When do we obey?” Without missing a beat, they’d answer, “The first time.”

What struck me most was that this question usually came after they had disobeyed. It wasn’t harsh or condemning—it was a gentle reminder. A way to re-center them, and more often than not, it led to a quick change in direction.

We may not be kids anymore, but there’s wisdom in that interaction that still speaks to our hearts as adults.

In Proverbs 6, Solomon uses the image of a loving parent’s instruction—something deeply relational—to highlight the value of God’s guidance. The Hebrew word for “forsake” in verse 20 can also mean “to let go” or “to lose.” Solomon’s message is simple: don’t lose hold of the truth and wisdom you’ve been given. Don’t let it slip through your fingers.

Like a good parent who longs to see their child thrive, God gives us His commands not to limit us, but to lovingly lead us. His boundaries aren’t burdens—they’re invitations into a life that reflects His heart. His Word is described as a lamp and a light: it shows us the way forward, guards us as we sleep, and even speaks to us when we wake.

His instruction—even when it corrects us—isn’t meant to shame us, but to shape us. To lead us into a fuller life.

We live in a world that constantly pulls us toward our own desires and definitions of success, happiness, and truth. But if we listen closely, with soft and open hearts, we might hear our Heavenly Father gently asking us: “When do we obey?”

And may our answer be simple and sincere: “The first time”—not out of fear, but out of love and trust in the One who knows us best and wants only what’s good for us.

PRAYER

Father, today, may I respond to youR guidance and wisdom, “The First Time”, may I understand you want what is best for me in my life, and may I bind your commands to my heart just as you have instructed me to do in your word. Will you guide me when I wake and when I sleep, and may the lamp of your word order my every step. Amen