As a little recap, and for those not there yesterday, bringing up our children to be the disciples of Christ we hope them to be can seem very daunting at times. There are days I feel so unequipped and like I'm just scrounging to get by! But one of my very favorite verses is James 1:5(ESV)..."If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." I just LOVE how it says that He won't even scold us for asking! He is just waiting for us to ask! Hoping we will ask! He isn't hoarding wisdom! He doesn't charge us for it! He doesn't give it out sparingly! WE JUST HAVE TO ASK!!!!
This brings me to one of my favorite books of the Bible: Proverbs! I love it because I don't have to have 30 minutes to sit and read to gain something. Each little verse is packed with wisdom that applies to my life. In just seconds I can read a verse and then carry that verse into my day, reaping blessings from the wisdom that God gave Solomon thousands of years ago. As I have read through the book of Proverbs many times over the years, I have noticed how so many verses can be applied to parenting and family. I began to mark those verses and all other "family verses" in my Bible with blue so that when I needed parenting wisdom I could quickly flip through and find encouragement.
I have to share a short story here about how I used this in a discipline situation. This past year one of our children had a bit of a disrespectful attitude that became an ongoing problem for a day or two. I was so frustrated with this air of defiance and beside myself with how to punish this particular child. We always want to punish according to scripture, and this child knew all the verses on honoring her parents. But as much as I could say these verses over and over, what was really needed was for this child to experience these verses for herself. So on a Friday night she was informed that before going to a birthday party the next day she would have to copy all the "blue verses" from Proverbs in my Bible. She set her alarm for very early to allow enough time and got to work very early that next morning. I was so touched to see how diligently she worked at copying them into her journal. But that wasn't even the most amazing part. The wisdom she gained through this experience was priceless! Over and over that day and after she would quote verses to me that she had learned from that experience. She applied that wisdom to situations and I would hear her sharing that wisdom with her siblings. And yes, she finished in plenty of time, and was able to go to the birthday party!
So, without further ado, here is just a sprinkling of the verses out of Proverbs that I find helpful when I am feeling like I need some parenting wisdom:
Proverbs verses(NLT) for parents/children:
6:20-24 My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart.
Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you.
When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline
is the way to life. It will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.
10:1 A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
11:29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.
12:1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
12:3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.
12:7 The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm.
12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
13:24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
17:21 It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
19:18 Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
19:26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
20:7 The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
20:11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
20:20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
22:6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
22:15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.
23:13-14 Don’t fail to discipline your children. They won’t die if you spank them. Physical discipline may well save them from death.
I want to challenge you to mark them in your own Bible and then continue to find other verses that speak to your own family situations. Pick a special color to dedicate for your family verses and let your children be a part of the process. This is what disciplining our children is all about! I'd much rather discipline them with the Bible and a highlighter as we study God's Word than in times of punishment! The more we spend time in these activities, the less the punishment will be necessary. And when punishment is necessary, it will make much more sense to them if they are familiar with God's words.
