Discipline is an Example

 

1 Tim 4:16:  “Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach.Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you” (NET).

Being prepared for Godly parenting requires a close, daily walk with God.  After all, He is the father of all mankind.  He has had billions of children!  And, He has recorded his thoughts and experience as an example for our parenting journey.  Read the Bible through the lens of parenting and you will be amazed at the wealth of knowledge it contains.

In this passage, Paul tells Timothy he needs to be disciplined in his life before he can be effective in the lives of others.  Later he tells him where the ultimate example is found, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV).

Bible study helps you emulate God and lets His wisdom shine through you.

 

Eternal perspective

 

2 Cor 4:17-18:  “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (NIV).

God never wastes suffering. Trials work for us, not against us (James 1:2-5). If we trust God and surrender to Him, trials will produce patience, perseverance and maturity in the lives of our family. If we rebel and fight against our circumstances, we will remain impatient, impulsive and immature. God allows trials so He can build character into our lives. Warren Wiersbe gives a great analogy, “God can grow a mushroom overnight, but it takes many years – and many storms – to build a mighty oak.”

It takes an eternal perspective to see beyond today to eternity.  Your kids are not likely to be able to do it without your gentle, guiding hand.  As you empathetically walk through trials with them, you can model the faith, hope and love that allow you to look at tough situations as opportunities to grow and develop to be more like Christ.

An eternal perspective gives us the ability to see beyond temporary trials.