Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
Martha, last time we talked about how a parent’s attitude in instructing and responding to his or her children is really important. Now, it’s one thing to require obedience. But can parents actually train their children to have a godly attitude?

Martha Peace:
You can train your child and teach your child that they are to not only obey, but to obey graciously. Now that doesn’t mean your child will be glorifying God in their hearts. Only a born-again Christian child can do that. But they can learn, and they can be convicted of this.

I usually teach children the communication pie. And just a little bit of that circle is the words you say, about half of it is your countenance—how you look at people—rolling your eyes, sighing, that kind of thing. And then another almost half is your tone of voice.

So, parents need to stop their children when they’re violating biblical communication principles, and just say, “Stop! I’m not gonna let you talk to me that way. How should you have said what you said?” I just think that we are to instruct our children in the Lord, and, as Ted Tripp says in Shepherding a Child’s Heart, use their sin as a springboard to give the child the gospel.

Mike:
Martha, these are great insights on biblical parenting. Thanks for joining us! I’m Mike Farris.