Topic: Biblical parenting Part 1
Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 13-14; Luke 20:1-26.
Memory Verse: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
Christian parents should be good stewards of the children God has placed into their care. They should care for their children’s spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. Underlying these roles are basic instructions from God on parenting.
First is the fact that you do not own your children but they are brought to the world through you as their steward. God says in Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV), “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” So all God has given you belong to God though you are the custodian and you should treat them with care knowing the ultimate owner watches you on how you handle them.
Secondly, parenting is emotional and you should be ready to invest your emotions in raising your children. Proverbs 10:1 (KJV) says, “The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” You need to take time to teach your children knowledge and how they should apply them so that they can be wise. When they exhibit that wisdom, they make you glad but you must sow the right seed in their lives for that to happen. Thus, the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6 (KJV), “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This includes teaching them about the word of God and the need to live within the word. This also encompasses not abandoning the training of your children to the teachers in schools because you are very busy at work, you need to invest your time in their lives in addition to sending them to schools. You should also discipline them to make them follow righteousness and eschew evil. This is one area David apparently failed in his parenting. He directed that Tamar should go to his brother, Amnon and prepare a meal for him and after the brother raped her, the Bible tells us that the king was angry with him but there is no record of him sanctioning Amnon! ( 2 Samuel 13:21).
When there is no sanction for offences committed by your children, you will be giving them the impression that such behaviour can be tolerated and that means encouraging others to do similar things. No wonder that Absalom harboured the grudge against his brother Amnon for two years till he finally made up his mind to kill him! There was enough time for the devil to nurture the seed of bitterness that was sown into his life as nothing was done by the king to punish Amnon for his wickedness against Tamar. Don’t send wrong signals to your children by not disciplining them when they do wrong things. Proverbs 13:24 (KJV) says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”
Not taking action where some of your children have been offended could amount to provoking them. And the Bible enjoins fathers not to provoke their children to anger in order not to discourage them ( Colossians 3:21).
Action point: Ensure you invest your time in the development of your children no matter how busy you are.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero