Why should we cultivate obedience in our children?
Why should we cultivate obedience in our children? Because it is a good foundation for our children in their relationship with their heavenly Father. Teaching our children to obey is teaching them to submit to authority. And ultimately we want them to submit to the authority of God in their lives. To obey is to act according to what you have been asked or ordered to do by someone in authority or to behave according to a rule, law or instruction. Rebellion is the opposite of obedience. And the bible is full of stories about people who rebelled and the dire consequences they faced.
In the bible most of the communication from God is given in the form of instructions and/or commands. Where the logical response is obedience, go get it done, do as He says. The most successful characters in the bible are the people who just did what God said because of who He is and their relationship with Him. He told Abraham ‘leave your country….and go to the land‘…. He told Moses ‘so now go‘…..Joshua was told ‘Be strong and courageous‘. In the new testament Jesus told the disciples ‘Therefore go and make disciples of‘ and He told Paul. ‘Now get up and go‘ . We must teach our children to distinguish between suggestions and commands so that when the Lord speaks they recognise and know to obey.
Asking questions is not disobedience
Cultivating obedience in our children is about creating an environment in which they can ask questions. God is not afraid of questions, He loves to give answers. And that should be our attitude when training our children. At a certain age it is acceptable to admit to your child that you don’t know everything but because you love them you would not deliberately lead them astray and hopefully by that time you would have developed a track record of being trustworthy. Trust goes hand in hand with obedience. Proverbs 3 verse 5 and 6 states Trust the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all you ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.
Achievable goals in obedience training
How will you know you have achieved your aim in teaching your children to obey? Your child does the things you have asked them to do without you needing to remind them. When they defend the rules you have set for them to their peers. They accept your explanation at the point of introducing new rules. When you can both have a sit down and chart the course for rules that will navigate a new frontier in their development. When you seek their input on how to discipline them or how to resolve conflict. My wish for you in 2023 is that you be bold and courageous in parenting your children!
4 Comments
Well put Anna.This makes obedience sound easy. Many parents have made mistakes by commanding children with no or little explanation to why the set of rules,regulations or instructions have to be followed hence child turn to rebellion. I hope this material is compiling to a book in the near future.
May God give us grace in raising these children. It’s not easy. We are however thankful that we were granted this blessing, this gift of being called a mom. May God grant us wisdom through this journey called life.
This is so true. I like that part, asking questions is not disobedience. We were told differently. But we can choose to change the narrative. And it’s ok to not know and admit it, first to yourself. And making peace with it too.
Brilliant message, well delivered, thanks.