Love and Discipline
Our society often puts love and discipline, or obedience and respect, at odds with one another. People are often taught that if you love someone, you can’t be strict or firm. But, the Bible takes a different perspective on love and discipline. In fact, the Bible says that discipline is an indicator of someone’s love. Ephesians 6:4 teaches: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
The Bible states very clearly in these verses that God expects us to discipline our children. This includes difficult conversations and discipline such as spanking when necessary. This doesn’t mean that beating or abusive behavior is allowed, though; only that you can use discipline to teach obedience and respect. To some, this may seem odd, because many of us were not brought up in this way. But the Bible has a different perspective on the subject.
Kicking Out Your Child
When it comes to severe discipline, such as kicking out your child, the Bible speaks strongly against it. Proverbs 23:13-14 says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol (the place of the dead).” In these verses, God is making it clear that discipline can be necessary, but extreme measures should never be taken.
The Bible also states that kicking out your child would be a lack of faith in God and His promises. Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” So, no matter what, we should never decide to kick out our children; instead, we should continue to love them, even if they have made wrong decisions.
Rewards and Discipline
The Bible also prescribes rewards and discipline. Colossians 3:21 says: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.” As parents, we should reward our children for good behavior as much as we discipline them for bad behavior. It’s not enough to simply punish our children; rather, we should strive to be an example to them of what a good Christian should look like.
Praying for Your Children
Prayer is a powerful tool when it comes to parenting. We can use the power of prayer to plead for our children, and to ask God to intervene in their lives. The Bible says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
Praying for our children is of paramount importance, as it allows us to surrender our will to God’s will and to place their futures in His hands. We should not only pray for our children when they have done wrong, but also when they have done right, to thank and praise God for His blessings.
Be the Example
As parents, it is our job to be an example to our children. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
God is saying that we are to be that light in our children’s lives; to be an example to them of what a good Christian and good parent should look like. We should strive to live in a way that is pleasing to God, so that our children can do the same. Our actions will speak louder than our words, and our children will take note of how we are living our lives.
Showing Love and Respect
No matter what, we must always show our children love and respect. The Bible says in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” God wants us to treat our children the same way we would want to be treated. He wants us to show them love and compassion, and discipline them with a gentle hand.
God also wants us to show respect to our children. Proverbs 13:1 says: “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.” This means that even when correcting our children, we should never show them disrespect or disregard. We should respect their feelings and opinions, and show them love even when we are providing discipline.
Being Patient and Kind
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Being patient and kind with your children is of paramount importance in parenting. We should always strive to be patient and kind with our children, even when we are providing corrections. This means we should not only focus on disciplining our children, but also on teaching them right from wrong. We can do this by talking to our children, and by showing them grace, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Leading By Example
The Bible also encourages us to lead by example when it comes to parenting. Proverbs 22:6 tells us: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” We need to remember that we are responsible for the example we set for our children. We need to be patient and kind, live in a way that pleases God, and always remember that the love between us and our children can withstand anything.
Being Disciplined Without Anger
The Bible reminds us that discipline should not come with anger. Proverbs 19:11 says: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” This means that we should strive to provide discipline without anger. We should take the time to explain our reasoning to our children, and to show them love and compassion, even when we are disciplining them.
We should also remember that anger has no place in our parenting. Ephesians 4:31-32 states: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” We need to remember that God forgave us, and He expects us to do the same with our children.
Love at All Times
The Bible tells us to love our children at all times and to never forsake them. In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, God says: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
These verses remind us of the importance of teaching our children about God’s love and showing them love at all times. The Bible tells us that we should never kick our children out, no matter how difficult the situation may be. Instead, we should always strive to show them love, even in the midst of discipline.
Commitment to God and Family
The Bible also tells us to be committed to our families and to God. Ephesians 5:25 reminds us to “love our wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” This means that, as husbands and fathers, we should be committed to our families and put them first in all aspects of life.
In the same way, we should be committed to God. We should strive to live in a way that pleases Him, and teach our children to do the same. We should also be committed to praying for our children and to speaking God’s Word over their lives.
Peace in the Home
The Bible also tells us to strive for peace in our homes. Colossians 3:15 states: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” This means that our homes should be places of peace and harmony. We should never be angry or harsh with our children, but rather strive for a peaceful, loving atmosphere.
The Bible also tells us to be gentle and kind with our words. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” We should strive to speak words of life and encouragement over our children.
Living Out Our Faith
The Bible also tells us to be an example to our children by living out our faith. In Romans 12:2, Paul says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
This means that we should be living out our faith, so that our children can see what it looks like to serve God. We should be setting an example for our children and showing them by our actions how to live a life of faith and obedience.
o Show Gratitude and Thanks
The Bible encourages us to be thankful for our children and to show them gratitude. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul says: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We should strive to show our children gratitude and thanks, so that they can understand the importance of being thankful in all circumstances.
God’s Word is clear; He expects us to love our children and to raise them in a way that pleases Him. We should never lose hope, no matter what the situation may be; rather, we should strive to show them love, compassion, and grace, even in the midst of discipline. And, we should never forget that God promises to never forsake us or our children.
