PROVERBS

Loving Your children and Raising Godly Kids

Proverbs 3:12 - For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 19:18 - Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Revelation 3:19 - As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

According to God, refusal to correct and discipline your children in a loving way is setting your heart on his destruction. If we are not training them up in God's way - self-discipline, strong moral compass, appreciation of authority - then we are by default training them up in the way of the world. We as humans all need guard rails, rules, and boundaries. Without them, we get lawlessness, chaos and evil abounds. Look at the world around us.  

Our society has adopted a policy of punishment instead of discipline. We need to teach our kids their proper place in the world and how to flourish no matter what condition the world is in around them. God “punishes” the ungodly; He “disciplines” His children. There is a major difference. Discipline is teaching them self-control and expected, acceptable patterns of behavior. Punishment is a consequence of wrath or anger and does not result in growth or maturity.

When we raise our children with wisdom and love, our children will rise up and call us blessed (Proverbs 31:28). That is a worthy goal.

Speak Wisdom and Kindness

Pray for wisdom

2 Chronicles 1:7-12 - Solomon prayed for wisdom. God gave him both wisdom and wealth.

James 1:5 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Proverbs 8 - What is wisdom?

Proverbs 8 describes wisdom as truth, understanding, righteousness, knowledge, strength, justice, and discernment.

In Proverbs 8:18-21, we are told that those who are wise will also have riches, honor, and wealth to “fill their treasuries”.

Wisdom is the proper use and application of knowledge; using what you have learned and experienced to make good life decisions.

Proverbs 14:1 (NKJV) "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands."

How often do we pull down our own homes? We disrespect our husbands, yell at our kids, speak harshly or without thought, harming those we love the most. Divorce, broken families, depression, and heart-break are the results. I want to be the wise woman, not the foolish one! That takes kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience and self-control. That sure sounds like a familiar list!

According to God’s word, if we want to be wealthy, respected, and blessed, we need to seek wisdom. It is “better than rubies”.

Becoming a Virtuous Woman is our goal: strong, capable, efficient, wise and trust-worthy. It is a lifelong goal; something we will continually strive for throughout our lives. It is not something that will be attained and checked off a list somewhere. And it may look a little different for each of us depending on our abilities and the responsibilities God has given us. That's totally fine as long as we are living in the Spirit, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit and striving to grow more like Christ each day.

A major part of the Home with Cookee mission is to help women build their practical skills; skills that will bless you throughout your life. These skills will also not be learned in a day, but will require practice and failure on your way to success. As you gain knowledge, and the experience to use that knowledge properly, you will grow in wisdom.

Psalm 111:10 (NKJV) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments."

Isn't it interesting that Jesus said those who love Him will keep (do) His commandments? It is almost the exact same wording as the Psalms description of those who are wise. They are tied together. Wisdom= doing things God's way. Doing things God's way = wisdom.