Parenting the Purposes of Your Child’s Heart (Proverbs 20)
November 1, 2016
00:00
Quick judgments often lead to foolish responses.
With little information we make quick judgments about the motives of politicians, celebrities, and our children. Proverbs 20 applies to all people but it certainly offers parents and stepparents wisdom. “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters,” it says, “but a man of understanding draws them out.” A wise parent probes with questions, listens, and slowly determines what motivated a child’s actions. Then they respond, not just to the outward behavior but to the character they seek to shape.
References:
Proverbs 20
Featured Offer
The 2024 Summit on Stepfamily Ministry
The 2024 Summit on Stepfamily Ministry will be hosted at The Hope Center in Plano, Texas. This two-day event on October 10 & 11 will equip you and your team to minister more effectively to blended families.
Archives
And yet another case of how human wisdom falls short of God’s.
I wrote an article on how cohabitation sets couples up for the very hurt they want to avoid. Amanda responded with the counter-argument: “Divorce teaches you can lose everything so you want to screen a potential spouse before making a serious commitment.” That sounds reasonable but research shows that cohabiting fosters an inertia in lower commitment couples which creates a false sense of togetherness that causes long-term pain to the partners. God’s wisdom brings the very protection you want.
October 31, 2016
Aren’t moms and stepmoms supposed to despise each other?
We’re not too surprised when a biological mother and stepmother get cross and constantly compete with one another. Imagine how surprised Jenny was one day when her stepson’s mom told her how glad she was that Jenny was in Derrick’s life. Jenny was blessed by it tremendously and it inspired her to be more cooperative with Derrick’s mother and more attentive to Derrick. Did you catch that? What happens when we die to ourselves and bless others? Peace reigns, kids benefit, and God is glorified.
October 28, 2016
Do you want to hear something sobering? Kids are not always invested in the success of their parent’s remarriage.
Children in biological families are naturally invested in their mom and dad. But children in blended families are primarily invested in their relationship with their parent which sometimes is in direct competition to their parent’s marriage. It’s really important that you understand this. For example, when you’re anniversary rolls around go ahead and celebrate. Just don’t expect the kids to join you at least not in the early years. But remember, with time and patience, they just might.
October 27, 2016
When it comes to protecting our honor, sometimes I think we’ve got it all wrong.
In the movies when someone wants to bait a character into a fight, they call them “Chicken.” Why does that work? I suppose because we think our reputation equals our honor. Proverbs 20 flips that logic on its head. “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” Apparently elevating your self-control is what brings honor, not other people’s opinions. Is that true of you? Let me put it this way, it’s better to be called “Chicken” than for God to call you a “Fool.”
October 26, 2016
Movie theatres project an image on to a screen. Sometimes people project frustrations.
Sometimes you come home from work frustrated and you kick the dog. Other times, we project our feelings onto other relationships. Say a husband feels disrespected by his wife but avoids verbalizing his need but when she speaks to the kids in the same way he rescues them. He assumes they feel the same disrespect he does. The point is, he’s fighting their battle because it’s really his own. You can’t improve your relationship that way. Speak directly to your need, don’t be a projector.
October 25, 2016
Can you imagine being caught behind enemy lines?
On social media I suggested that children who live between homes are like people who hold citizenship in two countries. They belong in each and want peace. In response one follower posted: “If parents only knew how much that would change their child’s life. I’m 43 years old and my parents have been divorced for 37 of them, yet I still feel like I’m behind enemy lines when I visit or speak about the other parent.” Parents and stepparents--forgive and negotiate peaceful relations for everyone.
October 24, 2016
I don’t live in a stepfamily, do I?
If you are an adult and your mom or dad remarries you become a stepchild and your children have a stepgrandparent. Or if an ex-spouse remarries, now you’re part of a multi household stepfamily. Or maybe one of your siblings has become a stepparent. That makes you a stepuncle or aunt. Currently, one in three Americans has a step relationship of some kind and it’s projected that one in two Americans will have a step relationship at some point in their lifetime.
October 21, 2016
So did you hear the story about the stepmom who was reading Cinderella to her stepchildren?
Did you hear about the stepmom who was reading Cinderella to her stepchildren? She was pretty clever to change the wording and inserted these words, “The stresses of being a single mom added to the dilemmas of being a stepmom, made Cinderella’s stepmother appear to be wicked sometimes." Humor and simple kindness are the antidotes to negative stereotypes. Not all stepmoms are wicked. Not all stepdads are abusive. When you smile and act with kindness towards your stepchildren they will know that.
October 20, 2016
Are you struggling in your marriage? Stay the course.
Many married couples are struggling. Take a lesson from successful stepfamily couples. Research reveals that compared to those who give in to divorce, successful couples do three things. They work hard at communicating well; they persist in problem-solving meaning, when they get stuck they change how they approach the problem till they find a solution; and they deal with their larger family issues, like stepparenting. Hey, this is hard work. Don’t give up. Be an overcomer. Stay the course.
October 19, 2016
The legacy you leave it rooted in the life you live.
We want our kids and grandkids to have it better than us, right? A sobering principle in Scripture suggests that is in part up to us. The Bible points out that idolatrous actions result in consequences to the third and fourth generation. In other words, making money your idol steals a blessing from your descendants and being sexually undisciplined creates an irresponsible generational pattern that gets repeated. The next time you choose selfishness thinking “I’m not hurting anyone,” think again.
October 18, 2016
See More Episodes
Loading...
P
S
Listen to FamilyLife Blended® on
Amazon Echo
Learn How
Learn How
Featured Offer
The 2024 Summit on Stepfamily Ministry
The 2024 Summit on Stepfamily Ministry will be hosted at The Hope Center in Plano, Texas. This two-day event on October 10 & 11 will equip you and your team to minister more effectively to blended families.