Proverbs 19:13

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about the family:

Proverbs 19:13 (NASBStr)

A foolish son is destruction to his father,

And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

Proverbs 19:13 (AMP)

A self- confident and foolish son is the [multiplied] calamity of his father, and the contentions of a wife are like a continual dripping [of water through a chink in the roof].

This proverb may state a man's worse nightmare.   Here we have a child who is foolish and a wife who is contentious.   When you have a son who rejects God's truth and therefore rejects the fear of The Lord and you have a wife who doesn't accept her situation in life, you have very bad mix.  What Solomon is telling us is that a family that rejects the truth of God's Word and be quite damaging.   Having a child and a spouse who rejects God's Word and God's sovereign rule can bring a lot of strife and contention into the family structure.   Solomon seems to be giving us the formula for difficulty in a home.   A child who is failing to honor God and a wife who doesn't accept what God has provided and thus becomes contentious are a sure recipe for disaster.  When children and spouse reject God there is certain destruction in the home.   Solomon's observation of this truth may be based upon experience.   He saw what rebelliousness his father's son, Absolam, did to David's kingdom; as well as David's wife, Michael.  A rebellious son and a wife that lacks the sensitivity to God's character will make the home hard.  We might want to try to mitigate this truth through appeasement, acceptance of the child or parent’s wrong behavior and/or even feigned ignorance.   This truth is the truth.   No amount of appeasement or compromise will mitigate this truth.