Snark & Sensibility

SCRIPTURES FOR PARENTING

TUESDAY’S TREASURE

BY ROBIN LEIGH MORGAN

I'm a 72-year-old faith-driven nondenominational Christian woman who has been married for 29 years to my marvelous OH; however, we've never been blessed with any children. At the same time, while this might seem to be an unfortunate occurrence for any woman to suffer from by not having the Lord planting a seed in their womb so they can give birth to a child, so she could fulfill the Lord's instruction to be fruitful and multiply; it's somewhat of a blessing for me since I suffer from a visual genetic condition that I didn't desire to pass on to any child I and my OH would have been blessed with, especially if it had been a daughter. Being this type of Christian woman, while I admire all those women who've been blessed with their children, I can imagine how difficult parenting might actually be.

We know the Bible tells us that children are a blessing and a Lord-given gift to parents. Yet, it seems there are times when parents are feeling confused about whether they're doing their parenting correctly. While the secular world is fraught with books on parenting, giving parents detailed advice on certain topics and problems. Christian parents can rely on the words of the Lord for the wisdom they require and for the reassurance for doing their parenting correctly.

•  COLOSSIANS 3:21 [NLT], parents are told the following:

"Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged."

•  EPHESIANS 6:4 [NLT] advises parents:      

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord."

• HEBREWS 12:11 [NLT] promises rewards for parents when they follow the wisdom of the Lord's words:

 "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."

• PROVERBS 13:24 [NLT] is in agreement:

"Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them."

• PROVERBS 22:6 [NKJV] is the main objective of parenting:

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."

My goal in writing the above has been to impart the wisdom in Scripture regarding parenting children.

ABOUT ROBIN LEIGH MORGAN