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Today's post is by Stephanie from Bowmania.net.
I am sure we have all observed the following.
Standing in front of you in the checkout lane is a family. Mom and dad are begging the child to be quite. The child begs and pleads for the piece of candy. Mom and dad say no over and over and over again. The child's cries get louder and louder. In the end, the child gets the candy.
Who is in charge?
“When we allow our children to become independent decision makers we give them a false idea of liberty and a mistaken notion about freedom. Freedom is not found in autonomy, it is found in obedience”
“I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.”
Psalm 119:44-45
“Parents in our culture often improvise because they do not understand the biblical mandate to shepherd children. Parenting goals are often no more noble than immediate comfort and convenience.”
We are called to be in charge
Ephesians 6:4 ~ “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
“If you are God's agent in this task of providing essential training and instruction in the Lord, then you, too, are a person under authority. You and your child are in the same boat. You are both under God's authority. You have different roles, but the same Master.”
How often do we get angry? How often is that anger and unholy anger? Getting angry because we didn't get what we want from our child. This anger will make is hard when it comes to discipline.
We are called to obedience.
We engage in our children on behalf of God.
We require obedience because God says you must.
As parents we need to have clear objectives and have humility in our tasks (pg 33)
Deut 6:6-7 ~”And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
There is no place for anger when it comes to discipline. We need to have clear thinking. To remember that we are fulfilling God's role for us. They are not sinning against us, but against God. It is a hard thing to do, but we need to not take this personally. Discipline is an act of love.
“It is God's non-negotiable standard that fuels correction and discipline”
What goals do you have for your children?
Go ahead and make a list.
Now look at that list, how many of those goals are “of the world”?
We want our children to “have a good life.” A good education, a good job. These things are not bad, but we need to not forget what the main goal should be.
What is the chief end of man?
The Chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
Stephanie has been married to her amazing husband for 10 years! She's a stay at home mom of 5 little blessings: 4 boys and a little lady. She blogs at Bowmania.net.
