Destroyed without remedy

Proverbs 29:1

He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

I have found that when my son and I read the Bible at night when he goes to bed that quite often I find myself rebuked by the scriptures just about at the time that I notice that something applies to him. Last night was one of those nights. Let me set the context first.

After a very good day at school, David came home with an attitude of wanting his way and not being willing to follow any instruction. Within about two hours, he had pushed the limits of my patience and I told him that the only thing he was going to do the rest of the evening was his homework, eat dinner, and go to bed.

He immediately began to negotiate and expressed his desire to fix things. I told him that the time for "fixing things" was passed—that he had passed the point of no return for the night. Much pleading, anger, and acting out followed.

When I went into his bedroom to read the Bible with him, I left our regular course of reading (the Gospel of John) and turned to a random chapter in the book of Proverbs. The very first verse read: He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Of course, we immediately discussed that this is what had happened to him today. He understood. Then my wife and I explained to him that a continuation of this "stiff-necked" behavior could result in permanent damage to his entire life ("without remedy").

David prayed and we kissed him goodnight. Then I drove to the gym to get in some exercise. As I worked out I considered what this verse means to me. There are things that I continue to do even though I know I am wrong in doing them. This seems to me to be hardening my neck, as is mentioned in that verse.

I need to make sure that I don't harden my neck to the point when there is no longer any remedy to the issues I have created for myself and my family and friends. May God give me the grace to repent.