![]() ![]() If I respond in loving and gracious and godly ways, the child will not resist me taking them to issues of responding appropriately to authority.Įven over issues that are not moral or ethical issues like throwing the spaghetti on the floor, but issues of authority. So, the first training that is going on in that issue is how is mom responding. If we are harsh and unforgiving in our response to our children’s childishness in that issue, then we are teaching them that, that is what God is like. For the parent to respond to the child in a way that is loving, forgiving, kind, gracious is an excellent start because we are always representing to our children what God is like. Margy: Well, first of all, the way you respond to them dumping spaghetti on the floor is a huge training exercise because we all have things come to us in our life that are unexpected and unpleasant. How do I do that with something like dumping your spaghetti on the floor? But I want to give it a bigger, grander perspective than no we do not do that in our house. If I am going to train, I do not want them to dump their spaghetti on the floor but I do not want to just teach them no we do not do that in our house, which is kind of the way most parents will default to. We want to be giving them God’s ways and God’s truth from the earliest days.īob: So, Margie, if they do dump their spaghetti on the floor, obviously there is a discipline issue there. You are talking about a bigger view of instruction that you can start with a young child to tell them about God and creation and the fall and redemption and the whole master plan for the scriptures. It is not just these are the behaviors to do or not to do. So, it is formative instruction.īob: When you talk about instructing, you are not simply talking about training them not to dump their spaghetti on the floor. We are using instruction to shape our children, to shape and form the ways that they think. He is shaping it that is what we are doing. He is bringing that lifeless lump of clay to life with his skilled fingers. Or a potter with a wheel, he is shaping the clay as the wheel spins. He is using his carving tools to give shape to that wood. He is spinning this block of wood on the lathe. We can think by way of analogy of a woodworker with a lathe. ![]() Tedd: What I mean by that is it is instruction that forms or shapes our children. You are talking about a formative instruction. How the scripture was given by God to instruct us and what we are to do as parents is to instruct our kids in how to think, how to live, and how to ultimately grow up and become competent. That was how long ago?ĭennis: This book I really like because you have followed this up with more of a focus around what Bob was talking about here. They have written a book called Shepherding a Child’s Heart. Together, they have three adult children, nine grandchildren. Margy, Tedd welcome back to FamilyLife Today.ĭennis: Tedd is a pastor, an author, a conference speaker. It is entitled Instructing a Child’s Heart. We have a couple with us today who have written a book that is really based on the biblical blueprints on how you instruct a child. Because training and instructing mean that we show them the right way according to how God wants us to live. ![]() If you would like to join us for this series, please register below so that we can plan to have enough materials for everyone.Bob: I think a lot of times, as parents, we tend to zero in on reprove and correct and maybe ignore train and instruct.ĭennis: Yes. This small group will contain a video, book and scripture discussion, as well as the joy of "bearing one another's burdens" as we learn to parent together. This summer we will be providing this small group series. ![]() Before, we have studied Shepherding A Child's Heart, but this summer we will study the sequel, Instructing A Child's Heart. Often, when our children are displaying bad behavior, we must be careful that we do not stop with correcting only the behavior, but that we are sure to shepherd their very hearts that drive their behaviors. Fortunately, God's Word has much to say to us about how to properly love and raise our children. We are so grateful that God has chosen to bless the family with children! Having children run around our homes is a ton of fun, they are exciting to have around, and the things they say are down right hilarious! However, we also recognize that parenting can be very challenging at times. ![]()
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