Training Your Children By Using Proverbs

Over the summer our college group will be going through a series on "Practicing Proverbs". My thought behind this series was to train our college students in the use of Proverbs. Proverbs is a book full of Wisdom on varying different topics. I hope and pray that this is as much of a blessing to the students as this study has already been to me.

As I started studying for this series I re-read a book I truly love, "Practicing Proverbs" by Richard Mayhue. This book lays out how to utilize proverbs to combat situations that we encounter daily in our lives. This book also has taken the topics that Proverbs talks about and gives references to which proverbs speak into which situation. This is a great training tool as well as a great study tool.

As I went through this book his time the text that grabbed me was the one on training your children through the use of Proverbs. Mayhue sites that these 10 principles came out "Successful Christian Parenting" by John MacArthur.

Proverbs 1:7;9:10 – Teach your children to fear the Lord.

Proverbs 4:23 – Teach your children to guard their mind

Proverbs 1:8 – Teach your children to obey their parents

Proverbs 13:20 – Teach your children how to select their friends

Proverbs 2:16-19;5:3-5 – Teach your children to control their lusts

Proverbs 5:15-20 – Teach your children to enjoy their spouses

Proverbs 4:24 – Teach your children to watch their words

Proverbs 6:6-8 – Teach your children to manage their money

Proverbs 3:27-29 – Teach your children to love their neighbors

When Solomon wrote Proverbs he was writing them from a father to their sons. These Proverbs were written for the purpose of instructing our children in the way they should go. We as parents should be echoing the following sentiments of Solomon:

"Hear, {O} sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding, For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, Then he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;" Proverbs 4:1-4

I pray that we all as Christian parents would desire our children to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Let us all train our kids in the Proverbs.