photo credit: Making vegetarian green bean soup, cook, young woman in a brown shirt, pot, kitchen, Breitenbush Hot Springs, Breitenbush, Oregon, USA via photopin (license)
“Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6, Nasb
Yesterday we made soup together, my daughter and I. She resisted, but I insisted. As Chloe peeled carrots, washed celery, added chicken broth, and so on, she seemed to let go of her initial refusal to engage in an activity that didn’t interest her. I’m grateful for the smiles that eventually danced on her face, and both of us emerged from the kitchen after valuable time together.
Should I feel guilty about insisting that my daughter learn to do things she’s not interested in? Not if they’re life skills that will benefit her and others.
While I never want to disregard my child’s feelings, it’s my responsibility to train my child. (Click to Tweet)
And how can I fulfill this aspect of motherhood without involving my daughter in various activities—whether she desires to participate or not?
Another area of training is the discipline of regular Bible reading, the importance of which I recently expressed to Chloe.
Scripture teaches us about God, and we must read it regularly to grow close to Him. (Click to Tweet)
If my sweet girl wasn’t eating enough physical food, would I do something about it? You bet! I couldn’t sit by and watch her waste away little by little. In the same way, I need to train her in the discipline of Bible reading. It’s not always interesting. Sometimes, it can be boring. I remember how I felt as I struggled to read my Bible when I was 13, a little younger than my daughter’s age. Yet by God’s grace, He enabled me to persevere. I kept reading, and now I love God’s Word. I couldn’t survive without it.
God’s Word is life to me, nourishing, sustaining, and guiding me. (Click to tweet)
Motherhood contains blessings along with challenges. Training our children in God’s ways looks different for each of us, and it changes shape as our children grow. In my case, knowing when to provide clear instruction vs. when to allow my kids to choose sometimes baffles me—those are the times I especially need biblical guidance. Through it all, though I can’t force my children to love God’s Word, I’ll train them toward this goal as long as I can.
How about you? I’d love to hear your success stories about training your child to cherish God’s Word. Please comment below so others can benefit as well. Thanks, and love to you in Christ!
I love this post and the idea that we wouldn’t let them waste away physically without nourishment so also we should feed them on the Word as a discipline. Sophie has been memorizing short verses that we can use and be reminded of throughou the day. They are great for me as well. Each starts with a letter of the alphabet so we are memorizing them in ABC order. A= Ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find Matt. 7:7, B= Be kind to one another Ephesians 4:32, etc… I don’t always read straight from the Bible to her daily. I wonder if I should start doing that. I read her Jesus Storybook Bible to her and books similar to that.
Dear Holly,
Thank you so much. The Lord gave me these thoughts to share today – so glad to hear they’ve blessed you. I love the simplicity and power of your Sophie memorizing short Bible verses in alphabet order. That’s wonderful, and they will stay with her always. In regard to your Jesus Storybook Bible, I remember my dad reading “The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes” when I was small. I treasure those memories, and that book was so helpful in teaching me Bible stories. Of course, I don’t think we can ever go wrong reading the Word to our children, too. I don’t remember specifically doing that when they were really young, but I know they heard God’s Word. It never returns void. 🙂
Love to you in Christ,
Emily
Great reminder, Emily! Lately I’ve added “discipline in our quiet times” to my list of prayers for my family (at the recommendation of a mentor). Since then, I’ve been amazed at how my 3-year-old will ask me to read a devotion to her at breakfast. I believe it’s God’s Spirit moving in her:). “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”, He says.
Dear Joy,
I love how you’ve added this to your prayer list! Wonderful how God is already answering and moving by His Spirit in your child’s heart. So beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
In Christ’s Love,
Emily