Walking With Christ

Luke 15:20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.(ESV)

The bible has a lot to say about relationships and how they are supposed to be. It also has many examples of what happens when we mess things up. The most important relationship we could ever have is with God. Next would be the one we have with our spouse. Immediately below that would be the relationship between a parent and a child. The bible has plenty of examples of great people being bad parents. David is the perfect example. He was called “a man after God’s own heart” but was an absolutely terrible parent. There are a lot of examples there.

Fortunately, the bible also has a lot of examples to show what parenting should look like. Abraham and Isaac, Hannah and Samuel, Jesus and His parents, and the father of the prodigal son.

Through Abraham, we learn to trust in God’s provision with obedience even in difficult circumstances. Through Hannah, we learn to trust in God’s plan. Through Mary and Joseph, we learn to show care and take responsibility for the spiritual development of our children. Through the father of the prodigal, we learn unconditional love and forgiveness.

Here are five principles for biblical parenting:
1. Teach God’s Word:
a. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (6)And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. (7)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.(ESV)
b. Parents are instructed to consistently teach God’s commandments in everyday life, modeling a lifestyle centered on faith.
2. Discipline with Love:
a. Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.(ESV)
b. Discipline is an act of love meant to guide children in righteousness, not out of anger.
3. Encourage and Uplift:
a. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.(ESV)
b. Parenting should avoid harshness that leads to resentment and instead focus on building children up in God’s ways.
4. Model Faith:
a. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.(ESV)
b. Children learn by example. Parents are called to model a life of faith, integrity, and dependence on God.
5. Trust God’s Sovereignty:
a. Psalm 127:3-5 (3)Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. (4)Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. (5)Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.(ESV)
b. Parents are stewards, not owners, of their children. Trusting God’s plan for their lives is an essential part of biblical parenting.

There are obviously not the only lessons on parenting that the bible offers, but these should be a cornerstone for every parent to begin with. The greatest commandment is to love, and it is because of love that we know grace. Most of the parents that I’ve spoken with would all agree that they have grown more on a personal level because of the love shared between them and their children than any other lesson that life has to offer. It’s through being a parent and truly accepting that responsibility that we get the closest we can possibly get to seeing life from God’s perspective. This pathway is so vital to future generations and that is why the enemy seeks every opportunity to destroy the family structure and steer it away from the original design.