Son of a Gun

(Proverbs 3:1 KJV)  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

The first seven chapters of Proverbs have an indication that Solomon is giving instruction to his “son” (1121).  The word is “son,” regardless of what your translations says.  One way I judge a translation and its reliability is in this word.  I understand that our culture has “gone beyond” such sexist language, but God hasn’t.  The word in Hebrew is [ben] which can be translated “children” or “people” when it is in the plural but to do so in the singular is to impose the values of our culture on the words of God.

The Holy Spirit can still teach.  People can still be saved.  Growth can happen using some of the modern abridgements but we need to understand that God has a reason for what He does.  We need to understand that the designation “son” is a title of honor, not a chauvinistic convention.  It means that we, be we male or female, are accepted on the highest level of relationship. 

So?  Base your standards, values and measurements on what God has to say, not what your local guru has chosen as the social statement of the month.  It will save you a lot of erasing and editing.