Parenting Tip #9 – Discipline
Hebrews 12:11
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Parenting Tip:
Raising kids can be very hard at times. That’s been my experience as a parent, a teacher, and a vice principal in charge of discipline. My children are often extremely persistent when it comes to getting what they want, and sometimes through persuasion and strategic persistence, they either change my mind or wear me out. Ironically, this is something I have been teaching them is a virtue: persistence. In fact, the other day, my daughter used my own words against me. I was encouraging her that maybe she should move on in regards to one of her goals that didn’t seem attainable or worthwhile to me. Her exact words were, “I’m not a quitter, Dad, I don’t give up.” I scoffed, smiled, happy to know she was internalizing what I was attempting to embed in her character, and we ended up having a great conversation about how to determine whether or not to continue persisting or approaching a goal from another angle.
Persistence is throughout the Bible. One of the most obvious examples is when Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. It almost seems like Jesus wants us to pester God until we get what we want. But of course, the Bible doesn’t promote pestering or nagging, but it does promote persistence in the pursuit of what is right. Persistence turns from a good thing into a bad thing when pursuing anything contrary to God. The widow in the parable was seeking justice and that’s why it was good. When my kids are persisting in pursuing something that isn’t good for them, then my persistence as a parent needs to be greater than theirs. And that can be hard. Passion fuels persistence, and I pray that your passion for your kids’ future well-being and their relationship with God is greater than their passion for the temptations all around us in this crazy world. It’s exhausting, but if you persist, you’ll look back and be grateful you did, and so will your kids. Praying for you, please pray for me too!
Apologetics Defense of the Biblical Worldview
Child: Why does the Bible have so many rules?
Parent: That’s a great question! God’s rules aren’t about keeping us from fun—they’re about keeping us from harm. Just like a good parent sets boundaries for their child’s safety and growth, God gives us His commands to protect us and lead us into freedom-the freedom to choose good things instead of being a slave to sin. His boundaries are always rooted in love. Hebrews 12:10 “Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.”
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