Parents and Children

Parents and Children |  Ephesians 6:1-4

While parenting is considered to be teamwork, in this passage, the emphasis is laid largely upon the father, for he is responsible for what the children will become.

Fathers are the role model for their children largely. Mothers may enforce policy, but it is the father's task to set it and to see that his children are raised properly. 

If we as believers have the attitude adopted from the world like many fathers who say, It is my job to make the living, her job is to raise the children.

We are dishonoring the word of God.

In the Bible, the ultimate responsibility for what a home becomes is the father.

Fathers must deliberately avoid the things that make a child rebel. It is anger those results in a rebellion. Fathers, do not provoke your children to the place where they completely lose control and break out against authority.

There are two things that cause rebellion in children. One is an indulgence and the other is harshness.

Lack of discipline will make a child insecure, miserable, and self-centered. That is what we call a spoiled child one who grows up to expect to have her way in everything.

This is created by a spirit of indulgence on the part of parents who allow their children to make decisions thinking that they can make even at an incredibly young age.

One of the terribly tragic things about life today is the degree to which many parents let children make decisions they are incapable of making.

This starts from buying whatever they ask. It is the child who makes the decision and not the parent.

Let us not be prideful about it, rather understand that we are unknowingly spoiling them. These are the children who become bullies in their later stages.

We as parents must understand children do not have the tools at an early age to make the decisions themselves.

Parents must learn that they need to make decisions for their children for quite a while in their life and gradually help them to learn to make those decisions as they are able to do so. 

In the early years of childhood, parents must make almost all the decisions. 

The other extreme that provokes a child is harshness. Rigorous, demanding discipline that is never accompanied with love or understanding. Rigid, military discipline that says, do this or else kind of attitude. 

 

Even though it might be for good, it does not provide you with the 

 

Paul puts two things—training and instruction in the Lord.

As the child grows older, physical discipline is to be replaced by encouragement, by understanding, helping a child to see what lies behind the restrictions and always showing concern and love.

It does not mean a total relaxing of limits, but it means a different way of enforcing them.

 

Ask yourself:

Are we, as parents, able to see what we are doing today?

Do you see the common behaviors that cause rebellion in our children?

What training and instruction does the bible teach us?

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, help us to follow the training and instruction according to the word that we might be able to guide our children in the way that you desire them to grow. Help us as fathers and mothers not to be harsh or angry, rather be considerate and provide encouragement to help them grow the right way. In Jesus Name. Amen.