Children

Proverbs 17:21-22 (ESV)

[21] He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

[22] A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

 

These two verses contain two sides of the same coin. One the one side is the grief of having foolish children. It is the responsibility of parents and grandparents to train, warn, discipline and do whatever is necessary to raise up children who are not foolish. By foolish the scripture does not mean the class clown. The term fool refers to one who is proud and arrogant, who is undisciplined and indulgent, and who is selfish, narcissistic and immoral. If we raise children to believe that the world revolves around them and that they can do no wrong we will raise a fool.

 

The other side of the coin is that we must not crush the spirit of our children even as we discipline them. A broken spirit destroys creativity, motivation and purpose. Somehow we must learn how to drive out foolishness without breaking the spirit of our children. Somehow we must figure out how to encourage their ability to dream, think, imagine, and build without giving them the false expectation that the world owes them and that they can do whatever they want.

 

Raising children is not for sissies. It is hard work that takes a great deal of prayer and discernment. We don't want to raise self-centered fools, nor do we want spirit-crushed automatons. Our constant prayer needs to be for wisdom to train, discipline and mold our children into the uniquely gifted individuals God as designed them to be with hearts inclined toward him. One of the most encouraging things a parent can hear from their children is, "Thanks for disciplining me without breaking my spirit."

 

Father, watch over my children and grandchildren. Give them a heart for you. May my words and my life reflect you and your truth to them. Let them see Jesus in me.

 

By His grace,

Rick Weinert