November 15th

Better Families

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20

Have you ever seen a pet that went to obedience school? It really is amazing the difference between the pets who know they are not in charge and the ones who think they might still have a chance.

All people should have to go through obedience school, too. There is never a time in life when you will not have to answer to someone. You will always have to obey, and the earlier in life you can learn this, the better off you will be.

Training our children to obey us as their parents is one of the best things we can do for them. It will save them trouble with teachers and employers for the rest of their lives, setting them up for good grades, great jobs, and high placement for promotions and raises. Not only that, but when they are trained to obey us as parents, they are trained to obey God as their Father.

To do this right requires work in three areas very early in life. First, children need to accept the reality that they need to obey their parents in all things. This means without fussing, whining, complaining, arguing, or watering down what they were told to do. But I don't want to, does not get to be part of their vocabulary.

Second, children need to understand that their job is to learn. Your job is to teach (and to keep guard that what they learn from others, television programs included, does not violate biblical values), but their job is to learn.

Third, children need to know who they are. Even at the youngest of ages, you can begin to positively reinforce who they are. If you call them the nightmare-strong-willed-devil-child (as I have heard several Christian parents call their children), or even if you call them difficult, then what do you think they will be? Perhaps they acted that way, but your words will reinforce wrong behavior as a deeply held identity. Instead, choose to use words toward them that call them higher, no matter how they live up to it. After all, God calls us overcomers even in the midst of our failures, so we should do the same for our children.

These three areas help to establish healthy boundaries that cause children to flourish without squelching who they are. Hold fast to these things and you will begin to have a better family.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for giving us instructions in Your Word that help us have better families! Please give me wisdom in raising my children and help me to apply the tools You give us in Your Word.

Amen