The bible gives us encouraging lessons to train our kids…even when we don’t FEEL like it...

One of the show I used to watch a lot was “What NOT to wear” on TLC.

While I didn’t like how they teased and insulted their clients who were “volunteered” by their friends who hated their wardrobe…I DID learn and the clients seemed to learn HOW TO DRESS.

Well the bible gives us…”WHAT NOT TO DO” examples to encourage us to train our kids….while they are kinda sad to hear they help us “get a clue”….

King David – Lesson: It is Important to Discipline Children – Teach Them to be Fruity

King David was a man after God’s own heart…he was God’s friend and a worshipper whose life still impacts us greatly today. Many popular sayings and songs even today come from the Book of Psalms

So David had a successful career overall as King

BUT what happened to his David SON Adonijah?

…he “decided to make himself King in place of his aged father.” 1 Kings1: 5

Why did he do this? Well I am sure there are many reasons but the key “kicker” to me is the next verse 6.

Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, "Why are you doing that?" (NLT)

Sadly, David’s passive parenting style lead to his son’s behavior. His son Adonijah eventually was killed by soldiers as he fled because he attempted to kill his own father and be King instead.

The bible story goes on to tell how all this hurt David very deeply…. I can’t image how he must have felt. Unfortunately, his sons were hurt by his decision to not teach them right from wrong.

We are encouraged “What NOT to DO”

Don’t ignore our kid’s behavior that needs correcting…

Discipline is JUST TRAINING KIDS….teaching them to be fruity! No matter what age they are.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

—Galatians 5:22-23

“Kick in the Pants” = Discipline Encouragement

I too many times, really and truly want to LOOK the other way…especially after a looong day. I have even broken my own goal and had my older kids say “MOM, YOU’RE NOT GONNA LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THAT ARE YOU?” Then I buckle down, sigh…drag myself up and do what I should. Thank God for His promptings…

Oh, my other favorite kick in the pants encouragement come from conversations with my close friends…..

“You know….I noticed XYZ in your kid lately…you know if I did that to MY MOM, she would slap my face…you should take of that Lo”

“No offense…(pause, sigh) but I would’ve taken him out and tore him up…but you do what you want”

“You spoiled him Lo, I can see it….and if you don’t reign him in NOW you will have a handful when he gets older”

“God knows you are a mother….(relax he will help you)”

“Don’t tell ‘em BUT I saw your child doing………..”

These and many other Kick in the Pants convos are God’s way of helping me as a parent to discipline…even WHEN I DON’T see it OR FEEL like it. There is another bible character I learn from as a “What NOT to DO”….

Eli’s Discipline of His Sons – Lesson: Kids Need a Healthy Fear of the Lord Instilled Early

Eli is well known for being in charge of the temple when the little boy Samuel was living there and heard the voice of God 3x times as he slept and Samuel thought it was Eli talking to him….

In spite of his position…..Eli also had trouble disciplining his sons even though he was God’s prophet…

As men his sons were very wicked and had not learned a healthy “Fear of the Lord”

1 Samuel 2: 12-14

Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons…

17 So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

22a Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

Eli KNEW and he did question them about it in verse 23 and 24

Eli said to them, "I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the LORD's people are not good…

Now Eli had a rough time raising his sons, I’m not sure where their mom was … the bible doesn’t tell us. BUT we do know that this attempt to reign in his sons was a failed attempt unfortunately and God had to discipline them directly

Proverbs 19:18 says, “Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death”

I have heard others preach that he obviously did NOT discipline his sons early…This seems true as indicated by the fact that they had NO fear of the Lord and were willing to sin against the God’s daily sacrifices….Unfortunately their sins led to their own demise…just like the proverbs verse warned.

The trick was that “Healthy Fear of the Lord” which serves to temper the boundaries at children will go…restraint and is important for our kids to have.

In other words, it they were raised to be sensitive to God and respect His holiness and moreover His Sovereignty. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and all powerful….with no beginning or end. He also is a God of justice and so they would have realized at some point God would get involved with their sins against Him. They didn’t sadly….

This lesson encourages us to teach of kids, especially when they are young to fear and honor God. Not the unhealthy distant fear like God has a stick trying to beat on us all day…NO a healthy respect for God is all He requires and it make our job much easier…

Over all with a “Kick in the Pants” and “What NOT to DO” Encouragement…we can train up our kids for the long haul….