5 Proverbs To Encourage Parents

Proverbs 16 has important direction for anyone in authority, especially parents. These insights help to establish authority and strengthen your parental authority. Here are some selected Proverbs from this chapter:

Commit to the LORD whatever
 you do
and your plans will succeed. (Verse 3)

This is the starting point. The commitment indicated here is totally to the Lord Lord because of your love for him is the focus of life. This is not so much about achieving a single objective as it is about committing all of your life to honor God. In parenting, this means a commitment to use God’s methods to accomplish God’s purpose.
Authority without this commitment to God is destructive!

Honest scales and balances are from the LORD;
all the weights in the bag are of his making. (Verse 11)

This couplet stresses the importance of integrity in leadership. Authority should be accompanied by personal integrity. Parents should mean what they say and say what they mean. For example forgetting to keep promises made weighs heavily on children. Give careful thought to what you promise. Your promise given to your child is just as significant as a promise you give to your employer. Nothing leads to discouragement faster than broken promises.

When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. (Verse 15)

Your countenance plays a huge part in determining your effectiveness as a parent. It is easy to lose sight of how important facial expressions are to your children. Showing appreciation and gratitude for your children must not be neglected. A warm smile directed at your young child is a great encouragement. If all your teenager sees are worried frowns, that will not encourage him to come to you for help when he needs it the most.

Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall. (Verse 18)

If haughtiness and open frustration mark your parenting, trouble will not be far behind. How do your children perceive your spirit? Showing exasperation with your children is actually conveying a haughty spirit and will lead to immense struggles in your family’s relationships.

A Proverbs Driven LifePleasant words promote instruction! (Verses 20-24)

This is a powerful passage. As James 1:20 says, man’s anger will not bring about the righteous life that God desires. If pleasant words are absent, encouragement will also be absent. The everyday use of pleasant words will richly bless you and your children as well help to establish your authority.

Five Proverbs, five ways to encourage your children as you lead them towards Christ.

Shepherd Press