The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).

¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Child that Blesses or Burdens

Whether a child is growing into adulthood or has already obtained adulthood that child can be a blessing to their parents or a burden to their parent. At either stage of life the desire of children should be to be a blessing to their parents. However, do we live up to that inner desire that beckons to us?

We can make our parents glad or we can fill them with a heaviness of soul and spirit. What does it mean biblically in this context to make them glad or fill them with heaviness? Let us explore that.

In the Hebrew language the words “glad” and “heaviness” mean the following.

Can you tell which definition is which, or do you need me to enlighten you?

8055. שָׂמַח sâmach, saw-makh’; a prim. root; prob. to brighten up, i.e. (fig.) be (caus. make) blithe or gleesome:— cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy (-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, × very.

8424. תּוּגָה tûwgâh, too-gaw’; from 3013; depression (of spirits); concr. a grief:— heaviness, sorrow.

We have previously thoroughly studied what it means to be both wise and foolish. Keep in mind that you are a parent or might be a parent one day. I will make this simple and close by asking a few questions you can reflect on.

Do your actions brighten up your parent’s world? Do they cause them happiness and joy? Do you make them glad you are their child? Can they rest knowing they do not have to worry about you? Or do your actions make their spirits heavy with sorrow and grief? Does depression haunt them because you cannot get your act together?

As you reflect on these questions remember that our life affects the life of all those around us, including our parents, whether we are grown or not, so let us make choices that bless people instead of burdening people.

Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.