Over the past couple of weeks, Stephen has been taking us on a quest for hidden treasure—searching Solomon’s Book of Proverbs to discover what wisdom really is and how we can obtain it. In Proverbs 1:8-19, we learned that we might have to do without our friends. In Proverbs 6:6-11, our hobbies and pursuits didn’t make the cut. But here, in Proverbs 13:24, Solomon teaches us the hard truth: we will have to give up our parental comfort for it. Wisdom can only be gained when we learn to discipline ourselves . . . and our children as well.
Scandals abound in a drama cast in the ancient Persian Empire. In the midst of political intrigue and betrayal, a beautiful orphan girl suddenly becomes the leading character, as God’s providence rescues His people from certain death. At first glance, Esther is the heroine and Mordecai the master manipulator. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll discover that behind the scenes, God is pulling the strings as His sovereign providence unfolds.