Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  Ephesians 6:1

“I’m warning you, Jayden! One…two…” We’ve all heard versions of this parenting technique when a frazzled mom or dad delays the discipline that could put an end to Jayden’s tyranny. One reason children do not obey their parents is because the parents don’t require it. Obedience becomes optional when child is allowed to challenge parent in a battle of wills which the child often wins. No wonder he won’t obey. Why should he obey when rebellion and disrespect are working so well for him?

Self-will is a trait we are all born with and we pass it on to our children. Most children are not naturally compliant. That self-will must be brought under submission for the child’s own good. Few things are more ridiculous than a parent arguing with a small human they brought into the world. Parents not only have the right but the responsibility before God to train their children to instantly obey. We tend to view God the way we saw our parents, so a child who was never taught to respect and obey a loving parent will find it difficult to respect and obey a loving God. If parents were permissive and disconnected, children grow up to assume God is that way too. When we cultivate obedient hearts in our children, we prepare them to follow Jesus.

Final Thought:

When you allow your children to sass, disobey, and disrespect you, whose interests are you serving?

Prayer:

Father, I’m realizing it is selfish for me to be lazy in my discipline. I’m not doing what’s best for my child; I’m making myself feel better by not making a scene. Give me the strength to enforce boundaries like you do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.