When you first become a parent, you realize that there isn’t a manual to teach you how to parent. You can listen to advice and stories from your parents, family and friends but nothing can actually prepare you for this new experience in your life.
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The Bible is best resource for every aspect of life. The Bible is not for looks or show, it is the written word of God that has been passed down from generation to generation. Though it might not help you make the decision of buying a new iPhone for your kid, it will tell you the expectations that God has for you teaching your children.
There are plenty of interpretations of what Bible verses mean. This is how I see it: How it is interpreted depends on what season you are in when you read it and the relationship you have with God. Here are 7 verses that speak about parenting and how I interpret them:
Proverbs 13:24 “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” KJV
You love your child, of course, but when you lack responsibility of correcting and disciplining your child, this verse says it is the same as hating your child. When a child does something wrong or bad, if you don’t correct them then you are basically condoning it. Correct them as many times as it takes for them to learn. Later on they will know you did it because you do love them and want the best for them.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” KJV
For me this is one of the most important verses for parents because it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their child especially about God. If you look back over your life, you will see where you have strayed away from the straight and narrow but always returned to God. What you teach them as children, will become part of their core beliefs as adults and they too will return.
Deuteronomy 6:7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” KJV
From the old testament, this verse talks about God’s commandments. Basically it tells you to teach your child every day about God. Teach them the commandments, teach them to pray, to trust in God and that God is part of everything you do. In the morning and evening, while your sitting or walking, through your relationship with God, they will learn how to establish their own.
Proverbs 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” KJV
This doesn’t give you permission to beat your child by any means but again to discipline your child and let them know that you disapprove of their behavior. By doing so they learn (gain wisdom) what is acceptable and what is not. If you let a child run wild without any discipline then the consequence according to the verse is it will bring shame to the mother.
Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” KJV
Provoke is the key word to this verse and it’s not so much about disciplining your child. It’s about not approaching your child with the intentions of purposely making them angry or annoyed by you. The consequence is that it discourages your child and also hurts their self esteem, trust and beliefs. If this is how you are as a believer, why would they want to trust and believe in God?
Proverbs 29:17 “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” KJV
When you get to my age and see your grown children living their lives, you find “delight” that you have raised them right. This is where you rest and find peace because you know that God is with them as they are on their own journey through life. There is no better feeling of accomplishment than this.
Joel 1:3 “Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.” KJV
This verse tells you that you need to teach your children about God so that they can also pass it down to their children and so on. Just as I have taught my children, my son teaches his children and now I am trying to teach my granddaughter.
Children are truly a blessing from God and though your child may not always walk with God, they will return when you teach them from the beginning. Once they become adults it is up to them to make the choice to follow God. As a parent you can pray for God to guide them and keep them safe, happy and healthy. Prayer is a powerful tool!
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