The Christian life is so much more than avoiding negative things. It is primarily about engaging in thoughts and activities that bring honor to God. In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul urges Christians to focus on things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Here are two examples: Two young children are fussing and complaining. Negative response: “Why can’t you two just be quiet! Being noisy and fussy is a distraction to everybody in this house. I don’t want to hear any more unpleasantness, and I mean it! Do you understand?!?” Response that encourages excellence: “God’s Word says that we should be thankful for each other. Sarah, Ethan, remember that we talked about things we can be thankful for about each other? Well, this […]
Search Results for : Encouraging Your Children to Remember
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You have found favor with God. You will become pregnant and give birth to a Son. You will name him Jesus. He will be great and ascend to the throne of David. Mary then asks the obvious question – how can this happen since I am a virgin? Her question is not one of doubt, but of one of facilitation. She accepted the angel at his word. She is simply asking how it will happen, because she has no husband and is a virgin. Her response is of a totally different sort than Zechariah’s when he was told of that he would become a father. Like Mary, Zechariah was troubled and shaken by the sudden appearance of […]
Erin asked for an example of the what it would look to show how a parent would lovingly discipline by not keeping a record of wrongs. The example in the post was about a child who repeatedly failed to come when called. It is counterproductive to remind the child of how many times they have failed. This can easily lead to frustration for both parent and child. It also can give the idea that the eighth time the child disobeyed is far worse than the first time. Each refusal to come is equally serious. The problem is the same each time – God is being disobeyed. The following scenario assumes that mom has been working with her daughter in […]
In the previous post we saw that schoolwork is something given by God. When homework presents challenges, we have an opportunity to appeal to the gospel grace of God for strength and wisdom to complete the task at hand for his glory. In other words, schoolwork is part of the providential plan of God. In this post we will look at how to promote schoolwork to your children. “Promoting schoolwork” may seem like strange language. Sporting events, school plays, and political causes are promoted, but schoolwork? However, the Bible uses this language. Over and over, Proverbs pleads with young people to listen to instruction and warns of the folly of those who ignore it. Proverbs 16:21 assumes that […]
Have you seen the series of television commercials for an investment firm, with toddlers as the main characters? In the ads, one bright little guy in a high chair extols the virtues of online trading. The ads are humorous and, apparently, effective; one even ran during the Super Bowl. These ads illustrate that one way to leave a memorable impression is to connect an idea, in this case online stock trading, with an image that is both pleasing and absurd. So, while no one truly expects a toddler in a high chair to be discussing the benefits of online trading and 401Ks, a positive association is made with this company. These ads also illustrate an important biblical reality, though probably […]
Nancy Ganz is author of the Herein is Love commentary series, a Bible commentary set for children. They are written following the model given to God’s people in Deuteronomy 6; that is, these books talk to children about God and his Word. The writing is from the heart to the heart. In other words, the books are written from the heart of a mother and teacher passionately committed to teach the glory of God to her children. Then, the writing is directed to the hearts of children so that the things of God will be deeply impressed upon them. We believe this series to be unique. The material in these commentaries is thoroughly biblical, and it is presented in a […]
Parents are famous for telling their children what is wrong about a particular thing or activity. While it is certainly appropriate to warn about dangerous things, it is easy to be fixated on the negative. Inadvertently, this may lead to an inability to encourage positive goals. For example, Philippians 4:8-9 directs the thoughts of Christians towards those things and ideas that are excellent. Noble and praiseworthy thoughts are to dominate our minds. Yet often, when a particular course of action is considered or requested, it is the negative concerns that we focus on. Read Paul’s words carefully:
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Proverbs 16:21 This series of posts is in response to this question and comment. I'd like to see you address the topic of motivation in schoolwork sometime on your blog. How do we use the Scriptures to instill in our kids a motivation to do their best in their studies? What form should discipline take for children who do not apply themselves the way they should? In the previous post we saw that schoolwork is something given by God. When homework presents challenges, we have an opportunity to appeal to the gospel grace of God for strength and wisdom to complete the task at hand for his […]
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" Luke 1:30-34 Hebrews 11 says that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Our culture pushes us in a […]
I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. —Psalm 13:6 Summer officially arrives 10 days from now. As the sun begins its six-month march southward amid days that relentlessly shorten, it seems that summer will be almost over before it even began. My wife and I used to look forward to summer as a time to get things done. We would plan ambitious projects for ourselves and our 5 children. Then, before we knew it, the leaves began to turn, signaling the approach of fall. Where did summer go? (For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere I realize that winter is just beginning for you, so you have a six month head start to […]