As parents, you need to realize there is no such thing as “seven methods” or “four ways” or “three keys” to parenting.
There are insights and practical steps that can help, but there is no magic wand. You will need God’s Word, God’s Wisdom, and a willingness to be obedient.
Basically, there are two areas you need to understand and deal with in parenting:
1. Attitude
2. Relationship
You have to get your attitudes and your relationships down pat. The rest is not that big of a deal. But you can only attain the right attitudes and relationships by
being a doer of the Word of God
There’s no such thing as “seven methods” or “four ways” or “three keys” to parenting.
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves (James 1:22).
There’s a key scripture, on which we will base this entire study on parenting. In describing the boy Jesus, Luke 2:52 says: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
This verse could be said another way: Jesus increased mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. When any of these four areas are out of line in our lives, we will be faced with challenges.
I don’t think God left us down here on earth just to hang on, but having talked with so many parents across the country, I’ve heard them say, “We’re just waiting for our children to turn eighteen and move out of the house.”
We need to realize that things will not automatically get better when our kids turn eighteen. We won’t retire from parenting when that occurs; we will still be their parents when they get to be 58. If things aren’t going well now, and they won’t automatically get better in the future, we need an attitude change.
Let’s look again at Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
I believe God is very specific and detailed in His instructions. This scripture gives us four areas in which Jesus developed in His life on earth. They are wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with man.
Let me give you four more common words we would use today for these areas:
1. Wisdom = Vision
2. Stature = Discipline
3. Favor with God = Stewardship
4. Favor with man = Friendship
The best book you can ever read on parenting is God’s Word. Start with a word study on parenting or on an issue you’re dealing with – rebellion, obedience, etc. Then start with a concordance or concordance app and look up the scriptures that talk about that. As you do this, ask God to give you wisdom and understanding.
James 1:5 tells us that if we lack wisdom, to ask God and He will give it to us. Proverbs 2:6 tells us that the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6 tells us that the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Psalm 119:66 gives us another great example of asking God for wisdom by asking Him to teach us good judgment and knowledge.
Parenting resources are great and helpful, but they should never replace God’s Word. He knows and loves your child even more than you do. He has created them and gifted them. God to Him when you need the wisdom to raise them in every new phase of life.
Learn More
Learn more about the four kinds of kids and how to raise a wise child in Joe’s popular parenting book, God Knows How to Raise Your Kids…Even if You Don’t.
