|
|
|
|
"TRAIN UP A CHILD..."
VI. TRAINING YOUR CHILDREN (Psa. 22:6; Eph. 6:4)
- There are God directed paths of wisdom, tried and true, illuminating man's footsteps
and enabling parents to rear responsible children. There are also man's exploratory paths -- creviced with permissive
philosophy and laced with the thistles of humanism. When man walks in those shadowy paths, he constantly takes
one wrong turn after another to the detriment of the offspring.
- Children eventually understand that the words "father," "love," and
"chasten" are not incongruous terms. In fact, when children mature, they understand that their parents
expressed their love by their foresight of where disobedience would lead. Fathers, though not perfect, discipline
their children with the best wisdom they have (cf. Heb. 12:9-10).
- Based on love and pursued in patience, proper training of children involves instruction,
encouragement, direction and discipline in a proper balance.
- After training Golden Labs, Dr. Lucas Byrd said that if he had trained dogs first, he would have done a better
job with his children.
QUESTIONS
- What does the wise man mean when he says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old,
he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6)? What is "training"?
- Explain the responsibility of fathers according to Eph. 6:4. What does the negative statement, "...provoke
not your children to wrath..." mean?
- Can a parent train a child by shouting, screaming and threatening? What will the child learn from that kind
of consistent parental behavior?
- Paul employs two Greek words in this verse -- "paideia" and "nouthesia" (nurture and admonition).
Expound on the definitions of the words and the distinction between them. Barnes has some good comments on Eph.
6:4 (1 Vol. Commentary on N.T. p. 1009). Trench's Synonyms of the N.T. also has some good comments.
- What should be each parent's motivation for training his children?
- Can you train your children by merely giving them the necessary information about right behavior?
- Read Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15, 17. Explain what the wise man is teaching.
- Would you say that the "rod" of correction would be something like a cedar post or a bullwhip?
- What does the word "rod" mean as it is found in the proverbs?
- What is the designed use of the "rod"? Is it to do bodily damage?
- Understand that each child is unique. Can you discipline every child in the same way? When instruction and
corrective words are enough, should you administer physical punishment? If you discipline each child based upon
his response to parental guidance, is this showing partiality?
- Should you discipline your children when you are angry and out of control?
- Explain why patience is important in the training of your children.
- What is one the best times to communicate to your children what is right and wrong behavior?
- During what age span do you think physical discipline should be administered?
[Outline] [Purpose] [Recommended Reading] [Introduction] [Lesson
I] [Lesson II] [Lesson III] [Lesson IV] [Lesson V] [Lesson VI] [Lesson VII] [Lesson VIII] [Lesson IX]
|
