Do your kids know that you love them? Do they know you like them? Do they know you do not mind having them around? Do they think they are special to you? Have you as a parent made a positive connection with them?
Proverbs 17:6 – speaks of Grandparents being proud of their grandchildren and then talks about children being proud of their parents.
Yes proud of their parents…
not adversaries…
But, kids are commanded to obey and honor their parents, right?
Right.
But which would you rather have… forced honor or willing honor?
Proverbs 17:6 speaks of children, without any prompting, speaking of you,( to their friends and the people they come into contact with), positively. They are glad to be your child. Proud d to have you as a parent.
Is this possible?
Yes and it starts with you being proud of them, treating them as a reward from the Lord and a determination to love them irrationally. They need to know they are special to you. (Psalms 127:3)
When you talk to other people, your friends, your relatives they need to hear that you are proud of them. That you enjoy having them as your children.
But my kids are so bad! Well, you made them that way. Proverbs teaches it is up to the parent to move the child away from the foolishness that is in their heart. If you put up with it, and allow it… then own it and don’t use it against them so you can look good (like a “parent that has done everything they could”) around your friends by making your children look bad.
After all, your children are not going to honor you when you do not honor them.
Finally, live what you say, and follow God to the best of your ability. If you mess up… own it and correct the behavior. And if the Bible says to live a certain sort of way, do your best to live that way. forget the do as I say not as I do mentality. (I wish I had more time for this one…. but you can start by living the way the book of proverbs calls us to live.)
If you determine in your heart to be a man or woman of honor. Your children will notice and will be proud of you…
and that is great motivation.
A reward beyond comprehension.
phillipbrande.com 