Commanding Children

It is often said that "babies don't come with an instruction manual!" But . . . we actually do have one. It isn't handed out in the delivery room, but we have many specific instructions about parenting found in Scripture.

Because our culture is quite divorced from the truth of Scripture, many parents feel quite helpless about how to command their children. I recently had a young parent texting me in frustration and weariness because she needed prayer about her defiant middle-schooler. Parents who have not grown up under the umbrella of loving rules and godly reinforcements find themselves begging for cooperation (and usually just retreating) instead of making definitive commands that produce real reformation.

Here are just eleven Scripture verses that may help us to find success in parenting. There is an Instruction Manual!

Positive examples from Scripture

Gen. 18:19, "For I (God) know him (Abraham), that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment . . ."

I Sam. 3:8, "And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me . . ."

II Tim. 3:15, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

Negative examples from Scripture

I Sam. 2:29, "Why kick ye (Eli) at my (God's) sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honorest thy sons above me . . ."

I Kings 1:6, "And his (Absalam's) father (David) had not displeased him at any time in saying, 'Why hast thou done so? . . ."

Commands from Scriptures

Prov. 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 23:13-14, "Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest (spanking) him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes ('early in life')."

Proverbs 19:18, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."

Eph. 6:1 - 2, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise."

James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth ('rebuke or shame') not; and it shall be given him."