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Have you ever wanted something so bad for your children yet watch it never happen because of their bad choices? I imagine that God knows that frustration all too well as He watches us make choices that keep us from the very best He has to offer for us. 

As parents, we want the best for our children. We want them to grow up and live successful lives long after they leave the safety of our home. For Heather and I, this is the case for our six children. We have dreams of the awesome men and women our children will grow up to be and do everything we can to support them. 

This drive for their future success can easily be a parents’ most profound motivation and their biggest weakness. I can very easily become demanding and want to push my children to develop the character traits that will bring them success. When I see them displaying characteristics that will be a hindrance, I can sometimes go out of my way to address the issue and be harsh. 

Reading in Ephesians, I came across Paul’s instructions to fathers to “not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4 NLT

When reading this, it pierced my heart and made me evaluate my actions. Do I cross the line between guiding my children to develop Godly characteristics and driving them to rebellion because I am unrelenting? Paul specifically warned against provoking children to anger. Instead, we should discover the discipline that comes from God. 

God’s discipline is never separated from His love because God is love. So when He corrects us as His children, it is done through love. As parents, we have to model this with our children. When it comes to addressing issues, we have to do so with a love that understandings the difference between teaching consequences versus punishing our children out of anger. One brings about changed behavior, the other drives our children towards rebellion. 

Correctly disciplining our children is not something that every parent gets right every time. We can let our emotions get the best of us and miss the mark. Thank God for grace! The key is to determine to take Paul’s words to heart. Be intentional about how you discipline your children and do so in a way that points them towards correcting the behavior.