The Bible uses the word conscience 30 times in the New Testament. Twenty of those times by the Apostle Paul, five were written to Timothy to help him understand the importance of the conscience as a young pastor.
The biblical concept of the conscience is important for parents to understand. After all, if it’s standard operating equipment inside of your child, placed there by God, you’ll want to work with it and help strengthen it.
The conscience helps a child become internally motivated. Unfortunately, many children rely on external prompters, including their parents, to get things done. And unfortunately, many parents encourage their kids in that direction by over-emphasizing bribes and threats.
We’re not suggesting that you have to get rid of the rewards and punishments. . . .
When your child takes initiative to help, apologizes for a wrong, tells the truth, or does the right thing even when it’s tough, use the opportunity to affirm the God-given initiative coming from the heart.
In other words, while biblically-oriented techniques must be used in parenting, we must never forget that the root of the issue lies at the heart of the child, and with the child's view of God. Make everything about the good news of Jesus Christ, whether it's your child's sinful state and need for a savior, or praise that Spirit is at work in his heart to make him more like Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment