As we looked at ten rules to bring down children in the last post, it is appropriate to consider ten rules for bringing up children as well. Now that we have seen how to destroy them, let’s consider how best to help them become righteous and faithful to God.
- Make home the brightest and most attractive place you can.
- Make them responsible for helping in some daily duties at home.
- Never punish in anger nor to relieve your own feelings, but only in love and for disobedience.
- Do not mock their ideas; talk frankly about interesting matters to them.
- Encourage them to invite friends to your home.
- Teach them that serving and honesty are more important than money.
- Live righteously before them so that they will listen to moral teaching.
- Let them see your enjoyment and profit from Bible reading and prayer.
- Set an example in faithful church attendance and interest in the work.
- Pray continuously for their salvation and spiritual growth.
Raising children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” takes great patience and more than a little wisdom (Ephesians 6:4). If you can follow these ten simple steps, you will be blessed in your older age by faithful children and perhaps even faithful grandchildren. Your godly habits will be a large factor in how your children develop their godly habits.
Adapted from B.C. Goodpasture