Dear Readers ~ It is with great pleasure I bring to you this next series of posts. Natasha is a personal friend of mine with so many endearing qualities and a heart for helping other moms along the journey of motherhood. I pray you will be blessed by the wisdom she offers here.
PART 1
Sleep escapes me as I stare into the darkness wrapped snugly about me. Thoughts are whirling through my mind like a merry-go-round that won€™t stop turning.
€œWhy didn€™t I listen better to my troubled child today? How should I have handled his dishonesty differently? Why did I yell? Will these children grow up despite my shortcomings as a parent?€
A blanket of doubt begins to smother me. During my growing up years, there were many things I could do well. I loved school and tended to be an overachiever. Handcrafts and sewing came easily. Cooking was as natural as breathing to me. For the most part, if I set my mind to something I could do it. Then I married and began having children. Parenting has been the most humbling and daunting task I have encountered.
God has given me seven beautiful blessings which cause me to see my great need for Him. Child rearing needs divine wisdom from above and not the wisdom of this world. In my time of need I can turn to the Bible and find guidance for the journey.
The Bible indicates my primary task as a parent is to teach my children. In Eph. 6:4 fathers are instructed to €œbring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.€ As my husband€™s help meet and one commanded by God to love my children and care for my home (Titus 2:4-5), I must assist him in the training process.
There are three ways to accomplish this task in the home. It is
- through my words,
- through my example,
- and through discipline.
In the first segment of this three part series, I€™ll examine what the Bible says about teaching through words.
Teaching through words
Psalm 78:1-8 says,
O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old€“what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefathers€“a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.
Several principles can be drawn from this text.
*Use teachable moments. In Psalm 78:1 there is a plea for God€™s people to €œhear my teaching€ and to €œlisten to the words of my mouth.€ My prayer as a parent is that my children will truly listen to my instruction.
I€™ve found that my children are most teachable when they are engaged in activity with me. For example, one relaxing summer evening our family was out at the lake. The sun had gone down and the sky was bright with stars. We lay back on the grassy bank gazing into the heavens and tried to remember all the Bible stories or verses about stars. It led to the overwhelming realization that despite the vastness of the universe, God loved and cared for us though we were small little specks.
Every parent has probably experienced the wasted toothpaste swirls in the bathroom sink. They became a teachable moment in our home. The children were challenged to put the toothpaste back into the tube. Then we discussed how when we say words, we are unable to put them back in our mouths. Teachable moments most the time are not planned. These are moments that I pray God will help me be in tune to, so I can illustrate the truth of His Word to my children.
*Read books with moral value. Psalm 78:2 says, €œI will open my mouth in parables.€ Even Jesus used stories to illustrate a point. There are many marvelous children€™s books available that teach valuable life lessons. One time I was reading about a boy who had bent his mother€™s good paring knife and then lied about it. The boy had a dream about a giant bent paring knife hooking to his suspender€™s and pulling him under water. The lie was tormenting him. One of my boys piped up, €œMom, that€™s just how I felt when I stole the Easter candy.€ Often when I€™m reading a story, my children will start discussions about their feelings or about what is right or wrong in a situation. Children will beg for another chapter of a book, but they won€™t beg me for a sermon or lecture.
*Tell stories of God€™s faithfulness. Psalm 78:4 states, €œWe will not hide them from their children; the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.€ At the supper table we have told stories about God€™s faithfulness. Children love to hear stories about those close to them. I often tell my children about how God was faithful to my Great Grandma when she was a widow with five children during the Great Depression. She had a wonderful testimony about learning to tithe when it seemed there was nothing to give.
Three of our children were adopted out of foster care. They beg to hear the story about how God answered the prayers of their great grandma and brought them to a family that would teach them about Jesus. It would be a shame if they didn€™t know the story of God€™s faithfulness to one of his saints, and how it changed their lives forever.
*Spend time together in family Bible reading. In Psalm 78:5 it reminds me that, €œHe decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children.€ We take time to read the Bible together. It does mean getting up fifteen minutes earlier each day. When I was growing up my dad always made it non-negotiable to have family devotions. There were many times my brother, sister, and I complained and grumbled, but today we all are grateful to mom and dad for showing us what was important through their example of establishing God€™s Word as a priority in our home.
*Encourage personal Bible reading. Going over to Psalm 119:9,10 it says, €œHow can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.€ It is important that €œour faith€ becomes €œtheir faith.€ I have to teach my children to seek the Lord. When my two oldest began to read, we made a deal, €œNo books until we read the Bible.€ They have caught me more then one time reading something before reading my Bible. We keep each other accountable, but more often than not they keep me accountable. We started this when they were only six years old, and today our two oldest have continued with daily personal Bible reading.
*Memorize Scripture. Reading on in Psalm 119:11 it says, €œI have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.€ Children have remarkable memories. My husband has helped the children learn Scripture by making up songs. During our devotional time, he will also have them repeat the same verse each day until they learn it. Three of our children have memorized whole chapters of the Bible. It is important to teach them to hide the Word in their hearts because it will help keep them from sin.
Why spend so much time in the Word? Psalm 78:6,7 gives the answer, €œ…so the next generation would know them (referring back to the law and statutes of God), even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.€ Teaching the Bible through words is of vital importance. God€™s Word has been faithfully handed down to me for three generations. My great grandpa, grandpa, and dad were all preachers. I want to insure it continues it€™s journey through the generations. After all their eternity depends on it.
*All Scripture quoted from the NIV version of the Bible.
Natasha is a pastor’s wife and the homeschooling mother of seven children. You can find encouragement for mothers from Natasha on her blog Devoted. Read more of her adoption journey at Mother of Seven.
Annie @ Beauty In The Surrender says
Excellent post! I am looking forward to parts 2 & 3!
Cheryl says
I loved this post. Thanks for sharing!
Fruitful Harvest says
Great post~
Peace and Love,
Georgiann
SleepyKnitter says
Love this post! Good, practical reminders. And yes, raising children is definitely, as you say, the most humbling and daunting thing I’ve ever done.
Brandy says
Excellent! I look forward to more!
Angela says
Great post! I look forward to reading parts 2 and 3!
Trevor says
Very thoughtful post. I too have found that the most teachable moments are those that come up while engaged in an activity with my child.
It can all become daunting when we look at our imperfections. Fortunately we can ponder the Perfect One’s example, and we can ever so slowly become capable of acting a little more like Him.
Natasha Miller says
I appreciate everyone’s kind words. Honestly, I don’t know how one can make it through the parenting journey without God and his Word. His strength and guidance is what I’m striving to learn to depend on. Whenever I attempt to do it on my own, I fall flat on my face. I’m so thankful for his grace and provision.