Biblical Answer

Modeling a Heart of Obedience

As parents, we have a responsibility to teach and train our children in the ways of the Lord, so that they become people who fear the Lord and develop a godly character. To do this, we must model a heart of obedience ourselves, demonstrating a willingness to follow God's leading in our own lives. This is not about perfect compliance, but about having a heart that genuinely wants to obey God. When we give up the responsibility to spiritually develop our children, they may begin to think that obedience is optional, rather than a fundamental aspect of following Christ.

Teaching Children to Obey

To create in our children a heart of obedience, we must partner with God to create a teachable heart in them. This means searching the Scriptures and praying for wisdom, just as we would for any other important decision. We must also be persistent and insistent on obedience, teaching our children to rule their spirits and develop self-control. This is not about manipulating or coercing them into compliance, but about helping them develop a heart that genuinely wants to obey. By doing so, we can see a heart of obedience take shape in our children's responses, even if it's not perfect obedience.

The Importance of Obedience

The reason we train our children to obey us is not because we are trying to exert control over them, but because we want to help them develop a heart that genuinely wants to follow God. When our children learn to obey us, they are learning to obey God, and this is essential for their spiritual development. By modeling a heart of obedience ourselves and teaching our children to obey, we can help them develop a godly character and a deepening relationship with God. This is the key to raising kids who genuinely love and follow God, and it's a responsibility that we, as parents, must take seriously. By doing so, we can see our children grow into passionate followers of Jesus, who live out their faith in a way that honors God.