Resolution for Women: the Discipline Dealer

Priscilla states that “we” are to be the one who establishes goals in our children “right from the start”, to put a specific plan of action in place, so they are aware of and know their boundaries and ground rules.  OK, so how many of us made this plan when our first child was born?  How many of us had this plan in our household when we were growing up?

As I studied in God’s Word this week in preparation for this lesson and asked Him to guide me with what to share with you here are some of the things He gave me.

Parents should refuse to leave their children at the mercy of their own foolishness. Instead we should take every effort to prepare and teach our children the skills of self-control, respect for authority, consideration for others, and submission to God.

This training involves teaching, leading, correcting.

In one word  “discipline”.

Here are some things that discipline should be:

•  Discipline should be consistent. Personal feelings should not sway our efforts to be consistent. A parents “no you cannot” has meaning only if that parent is consistent, never permitting the child to ignore it.   (I have some friends that have been “the discipline dealer” parents since their daughter was born and now at 1 yr old when they were at the hospital when my daughter was having surgery this past June, I experienced the statement that Priscilla made on Pg. 224 how one year olds are able to respond to expectations and discipline-Kinsley did just that and I was truly honored to see at such a young age that she “knew” what was right and wrong for her).  If we aren’t consistent in our teaching how will they know when we are serious in our instructions today vs. tomorrow – we can’t be wishy washy, one day do it this way tomorrow something else.

• Discipline should be positive. Discipline is not all negative.  The steady patience of a positive parent can shape strong character in a child.

• Discipline should be effective.  Discipline demands example. God gave a perfect example and a high compliment to Abraham when he said of him, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord”, Genesis 18:19. This good father led by character and example.     Joshua admonished Israel, “Choose you this day whom you will serve,” then he added the strong words, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” Joshua 24:15. He was a successful disciplinarian because he was successful in self-discipline. When we plant biblical principles in the hearts of our children we know they will be further away from disobedience and rebellion.

If we will instill an awareness of God’s presence in the first several years of our child’s life they will develop a sense of right and wrong, and they will be less vulnerable to the undesirable influences in the world. In order for our child to be a responsible person, we must train them to be responsible with chores, homework and personal duties. Learning to be a responsible, productive member of the family and the home is important as it helps prepare our child for the responsibilities of their adult life.

• Discipline should be individualized. Wise parents should not compare one child to another. Children are individuals, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Each child finds security in being loved and accepted. Even when the child is punished, he must sense that it is because he is loved. (Hebrews 12:5-6 says; And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
 and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.)

• Discipline should be rewarding. Seeing our children grow into Christ-like living productive adults is a reward of carefully patterned discipline. The Bible says that children are a heritage of the Lord, like arrows in the hand of a warrior, are the sons of one’s youth; Happy is the man who has a quiver full of them, he has not been put to shame, Psalms 127:3-5. Solomon said, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6.

Discipline consists not only of words and acts of correction, but also it involves instruction and exhortation to good deeds and thought.  Parents who give to their children the security and joy of a home where love surrounds them, and whose words of teaching and guidance are demonstrated daily and fully in righteous, patient, unselfish service both in and out of the home, are those who truly discipline their children!

Being a discipline dealer takes much time and effort and being one yields children who are responsible, respectful, compassionate, considerate, humble, selfless, generous, gracious – out and out children who are a joy to be around when they are young and when they are grown and gone from our nest.   **and remember ladies even when our children do leave the nest they still need our guidance and we still must live the examples in front of them when they are adults so they can see it was not just something we did while they were young but something they will carry on to every generation to come**

Something Priscilla stated in this lesson for us is “don’t feel burdened to be perfect” in order to sign this resolution.

We all have room to grow and learn; and praise God we are learning together and teaching each other.

We haven’t done things perfectly but lets resolve to do them purposefully!

Let’s Pray:

God I pray that each one of us will fully demonstrate to our children how to love YOU and that we will train them to respect authority and live responsibly.  In your name I pray Amen!

Your Assignment:

If you have yet to make a specific plan of action in training your children in the way of the Lord make an appointment on your calendar and do so, and then put that action into place.   If you already have a specific plan in training your child/ren please share with all of us so we can learn from the wisdom God has shown you.

Reminder… on October 1st, we will begin our brand new Online Bible Study, entitled “Winning Him Without Words” by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.  If you are in an unequally spiritual marriage, you won’t want to miss this study!!

To sign up for this study, please send an email to:  Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com and we will send you all the details you need to get started!

Don’t forget to stop by Craig’s blog to see what the guys are up to with The Resolution for Men.

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com

Now jump on over to our Facebook Group for the daily activity!! If you do not yet belong to this group, and would like to, send us an email at GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com with FB GROUP in the subject line, and we’ll be glad to add you!

Love ya’ll, Beverly

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