Proverbs 16 offers key, comprehensive insights about establishing authority on the basis of righteousness; this kind of authority encourages. Here are five selected Proverbs from this chapter:
Proverbs 16:3 – You must be sold out to God!
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Your commitment to God must be total. You are 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 is destructive and frustrating!
Proverbs 16:11 – Your word as a parent must be consistent and trustworthy.
Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.
This couplet stresses the importance of integrity in leadership. Authority must be accompanied by personal integrity. Forgetting to keep promises made weighs heavily on children. Give careful thought to what you promise. Nothing leads to discouragement faster than broken promises.
Proverbs 16:15 – Your smile matters!
When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
You must not lose sight of how important your 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 essential. If all your teenager sees is a worried frown, that will not encourage him to come to you when he needs it the most.
Proverbs 16:18 – Exasperation is a relationship killer!
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Haughtiness causes others to think they don’t matter to you. If haughtiness and open frustration mark your parenting, trouble will not be far behind. How do your children perceive your spirit? Are you thrilled that you have the opportunity to bring the words of life to your children? Showing exasperation with your children is actually conveying a haughty spirit and will lead to immense struggles in your family’s relationships. A haughty spirit blocks humility.
Proverbs 16:20-24 – Pleasant words promote instruction!
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.
These five proverbs that will turn you and your children towards Christ.
One thought on “Five Proverbs essential for biblical parenting”
Just what I needed to read this morning. Thanks 🙂