Proverbs 17:6

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about grand-parenting:

Proverbs 17:6 (ESV)

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their fathers.

I have read this proverb countless times prior to my having the privilege of having grandchildren. Now that I have many, it seems all the more of a truth to me. Of course the second line is as important - it makes the first possible. The theme of the verse is that there is an obvious joy of having family come after you. In Psalm 146 we read the sad truth that when a man dies his thoughts perish on that very day. But, as this verse points out, his seed doesn't. It is glorious to have children and children's children. God gives us joy in the former and a crown in the later. We ought to rejoice in the seed that follows us. We may be forgotten by the majority of mankind, but our seed will be our glory forever.  The “legacy” we need to live is that we teach our children and grandchildren and those after us about the glory of Christ.  Note what God commanded mankind:

Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

One of the first things we were supposed to do in obedience to God’s command was to replenish the earth.   Man can glorify God by obeying Him.   Therefore, when man obeys God he glorifies God.  The crown of a man is to obey God’s commands and replenishing the earth is a path to that crown.