The book of Proverbs provides insight about how to be wise (Proverbs 1:1-7). Proverbs is not primarily a set of rules to follow, but practical wisdom that can be applied to everyday life. This book will teach you and your children to avoid people and situations that will bring harm. For example, verses 1&2 of Chapter 18 help identify a person who is unfriendly and not to be trusted. Each verse has two lines. The second line compliments the first. So in verse 1 we learn that a person who is unfriendly is selfish. That makes sense. But then in the second line of this verse we find a clue that identifies this selfish person; they start foolish quarrels. 1 […]
Proverbs
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Proverbs 16 offers key, comprehensive insights about establishing authority on the basis of righteousness; this kind of authority encourages. Here are some selected Proverbs from this chapter: Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. This is the starting point. The commitment indicated here is total. Commitment to the Lord because of your love for him is the focus of the proverb. This is not so much as achieving a single outcome as it as committing all of your life to honor God. In parenting this would mean a commitment to use God’s methods to accomplish God’s purpose. Authority without this commitment is destructive! Proverbs 16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; […]
Sometimes the Bible’s directness takes us by surprise. If my focus is to raise my child using God’s discipline and instruction, then my words will be few, clear, pleasant, direct, convicting, and building. The more I talk the more I run the risk of muddying the waters with my opinions. Proverbs 18:2 is a humbling reality to those of us who use many words: Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Ouch, at least for me and maybe some of you as well. The last thing I should want for my children is for them to conform to my standards. If your child has been unkind or selfish, then this is what […]
All’s well that ends well is one of those proverbial threads that form the tapestry of conventional wisdom. In this case the tapestry is threadbare in spots. This thought leads to the idea it doesn’t matter how we get our children to obey as long as they obey. This thinking may well achieve its purpose today, but create serious problems in the years ahead. Specifically I am talking about the distinction between instruction and manipulation when raising children to live for God. In it’s truest sense instruction means to teach children about God and his ways so that they are challenged to long for a deepening relationship with God. (see Deuteronomy 6:5-7 & Ephesians 6:4) Manipulation cares not the for […]
Life in the middle of a world that is hectic, demanding, and difficult can weigh heavily on the minds of parents. Because of this it is easy to forget the impact you have on your children. Parent, you are your child’s world. Even when your children become teenagers their life centers around their interaction with you, even if that interaction is unpleasant. For younger children, what Mom and Dad think of them is their world. Proverbs 16:15 makes this point: When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. Yes, I realize you are not a king or a queen. But to your children you are the most important person in their […]
The theme of this series of posts is talking to your children about sex and marriage. As I indicated in the first post of this series, I deliberately keep sex and marriage linked because that is how the Bible presents them. Sex is not designed or intended for self-pleasure. Sex does bring pleasure, but engaging in sex for the primary purpose of fulfilling personal desires is the gateway to lust. As Ephesians 4:17-19 teaches, sensitivity to others (the biblical motivation for sex) is the opposite of sensuality (the self-serving pursuit of pleasure). Sensuality leads to sexual perversion and to God’s harsh judgment of abandoning people to their own desires, condemning them to the ultimate consequences of their desires (Romans 1:18-32). […]
The title of this post doesn’t make sense. Fools, by definition, are not wise. This is the fourth of Tedd Tripp’s concerns for parents today. The first three concerns were these: grasping the importance of formative instruction, establishing a biblical view of authority and maintaining biblical communication. The fourth concern is developing the ability to contrast the supposed wisdom of fools with the wisdom of God. The book of Proverbs is the perfect place to see this contrast vividly laid out.
Familiarity breeds contempt. This saying has been around since the days of the early Greeks, some 2,600 years ago. In a similar vein Jesus observed that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown (John 4:44 ESV ). What about the Bible? As a reader of this blog, the Bible is no doubt a familiar subject in your home. But how is the Bible viewed by your children? Before you answer this question, take a moment to think carefully about this verse in Psalm 19: 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. What is the reaction that the […]
As we conclude this series on gaming, there is one more question that remains: Can Christians engage in gaming with a good conscience? The answer, I believe, is yes, given a significant qualifier: This pursuit must be done with biblical wisdom. Wisdom is the skill that comes from a deep passionate love of God’s truth. You may have been born with intelligence, precocity, and a good memory, but with regard to wisdom, you were born a fool. Wisdom is a skill that may only be acquired through great energy and faith. Protection from the allure of gaming comes from a vigorous pursuit of wisdom. Take a moment to read Proverbs 1:30-2:6. 30 since they would not accept my advice […]
Your children know everything about you. They see when you are sleeping, they know when you have been good or bad, they know when you pout and when you shout. Your kids know all of this without your ever having to say a word. When you stumble and ask God for help — they learn. When you stumble and snap or make excuses — they learn from that, too. If you value your relationship with God above all else, your children will know that as well. What does this have to do with being Santa’s helper? Just this: in Psalm 72:18 we read that “God alone does marvelous things.” However, at Christmas time, for little children someone else is portrayed […]