Proverbs 4:3
When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,
It’s strange how far we can travel in life
and still carry the same inner posture.
We gain years of experience
We gain authority, responsibility, and titles.
But somewhere beneath all of that,
we’re still that little kid we once were.
I know I’m 58 and it’s almost comical to say that cause I still feel like that 8 year old kids all the time!
So when Solomon, the now King and full grown man begins to reminisce in Proverbs 4:3…Let’s just say the older you get…the easier you can relate:
“When I was a son to my father,
tender, the only child before my mother.”
SOLOMON’S CHILDHOOD
Listen to Solomon here.
He isn’t speaking as a king.
He isn’t speaking as a ruler.
He’s speaking as a son…that kid.
Tender.
Seen.
Developing and finding his way in the world.
Even with all his wisdom, Solomon remembers the ground he first stood on.
And that ground shaped how he sees the world.
That’s how perspective works.
As life unfolds, the sand shifts beneath our feet.
We move from child to adult.
From learner to leader.
From being guided to guiding others.
Outwardly, we may issue commands and make decisions.
But inwardly, emotionally, foundationally, we constantly still see the world through the eyes of the child we once were.
And now Solomon, as a father passing wisdom forward, is careful.
Careful to offer what he once needed.
Careful to shape what he now holds responsibility for.
Because wisdom doesn’t erase our story…good bad or ugly:
It reframes it.
ENCOURAGING TURN
This verse invites us to pause and ask a deeper question.
How has your perspective shifted as your roles have changed?
Once you were the one receiving guidance.
Now you may be the one giving it.
Once you were being formed.
Now you are helping form others.
The sand has shifted, and while the sand is ALWAYS shifting,
God is still using the ground beneath your feet.
And the question isn’t whether your perspective has changed.
It has.
The question is whether you’re being mindful of how it’s shaping those who follow you.
REMEMBER
Wisdom remembers where it stood before it tells others where to stand.
Prayer
God, anchor my shifting perspective so I guide others wisely.
Today’s Challenge
Think of one person who looks to you for guidance.
Ask yourself today:
How is my story shaping how I lead them?
Then choose one intentional act of care or wisdom toward them.
About the Author
Fred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch
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