What Does The Bible Say About Parenting?

So what does the Bible say about parenting? Here are 6 tips to help shed some light on the area of raising children.

If I got a piece of chocolate for every time I questioned my own parenting skills I’d be one happy momma…and possibly not in the greatest health.

How is it that children have such a way of bringing immeasureable joy into our lives while simultaneously exasperating and confusing us like it’s their life’s purpose? Why can’t the determined, strong-willed, perfectionist inside of me come up with the answers that I desperately need to parent my children well?

I’m assuming I’m in good company when I say that raising children is the absolute most joy filled, rewarding job out there. And…

HARDER. THAN. I. EVER. IMAGINED.

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What Does The Bible Say about Parenting?

The Bible has many things to say about parenting that we often don’t catch upon first glance. I believe the six points listed below sum up the heart of the matter.

I honestly have no idea how many hundreds of times I’ve said a silent prayer in my mind throughout the day asking God for wisdom as to how to handle a certain situation with my two strong willed children. I’ve searched the Scriptures for guidance and wisdom in this area multiple times, but the Bible seems to only have a handful of verses directly related to child rearing.

It wasn’t until I started digging a little deeper into studying God’s Word that I finally began to find the answers I was seeking. After all, God specifically gave us the Bible as an instruction manual per se regarding how life works best. And believe it or not it is actually filled with parenting advice!

I’ll be honest and say that although I immensely enjoy reading the Old Testament, it hasn’t always been my first stop when searching for answers regarding this specific topic. But, it should be! The Old Testament is filled with true accounts of families and more specifically God’s family (His chosen people, the Israelites).

In these initial books of the Bible we’re told over and over again what God expects of His followers in every area of life from faith, to morality, to (you guessed it!) parenting! If you’re looking for some biblical parenting principles please read the points below.

1.We Need To Faithfully Share God’s Goodness With Our Children

There is one passage in the Bible that I find myself returning to again and again when I begin to lose my parenting focus. You see, parenting God’s way is so much more than simply raising well-mannered, happy, moral children. Please don’t get me wrong- these are all wonderful traits and ones that I desire to instill within my own children. BUT, if we stop there then we’ve missed the whole point of raising children for God’s glory.

Friends, to be blunt, we are living in some dark days and not only is it our job to protect our children physically, mentally, and emotionally, it is also our job to protect their souls and point them directly to the Man who died to be their Savior. Then we must equip them to defend and stand firm in their faith amidst the world’s and Enemy’s blows.

“ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

I’d encourage you to please read those verses one more time. Now really think about what they mean.

Is it enough to say a prayer before a meal, at bedtime, do a devotional with our kids, and go to church on Sunday? According to God’s Word the answer is a resounding “No”. And this couldn’t be more true in the culture we’re living in today. God is encouraging, or rather instructing, us to speak of Him to our children ALL throughout the day.

Can you imagine if our love for God was so great that our thoughts naturally drifted towards Him at the grocery store, in the car, while doing the dishes… and we naturally saw all of these opportunities throughout each day to share of His faithfulness and goodness with our children?

I have noticed that my daughter loves when I share answered prayers with her and God’s faithfulness in my own life. Sometimes she’ll ask me to share the same things over and over again! We’ve got to not only be a Christ like example to our children, but we need to be verbally sharing Him with our children. On Repeat.

Bible Verses On Parenting

(For more verses on this topic please see Exodus 12:26-28, Deuteronomy 4:9, 6:20-25, Joshua 4:6-7, Joel 1:3, Psalm 78:3-6).

2. We Need To Consistently Correct/ Discipline Our Children

Hate is a strong word, but I can honestly say that I hate disciplining my children. At times it breaks my heart. At times it’s exhausting. Every time it would be much easier if I simply decided to “let it slide” and not correct them.

Handing out loving, but firm consistent discipline is hard work! But, it is what God has called us to do. And we already know all of the reasons why. Even if we aren’t seeing much fruit at the time, it will be more than worth it in the end.

Stay faithful, sweet friend. God sees you and will enable you to love, care for, and discipline your children in a way that honors Him, if you faithfully seek His grace, patience, and strength.

What Does Proverbs Say About Parenting?

If you’re looking for some additional Bible verses about parenting responsibilities, please be sure to read the Proverbs. It’s interesting to note that the majority of parenting verses in Proverbs actually have to do with disciplining, correcting, and guiding our children. Here are a few helpful vereses to think upon.

• “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother... Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart” Proverbs 29:15,17.
• “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” Proverbs 13:24.
• “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15
• “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12

3. We Need To Instruct Our Children

I don’t know about you, but my children have some pretty wild imaginations and ideas! If we allowed them to follow through on all of their plans we’d be in a heap of trouble on a pretty regular basis.

Their little minds are still developing, maturing, and figuring things out. They desperately need us, as parents, to guide and instruct them until they are capable of making calculated and wise decisions on their own.

Please don’t overlook this area of parenting or pass it off to the educators hoping they do a good enough job. Teaching and instructing our children is OUR job. And we will be held accountable as to how diligent we are to do it. Our kids NEED us to pour into them.

God’s design is for the parents to have the strongest amount of influence in their lives. And for good reason. Who else knows them better or loves them more? May we be faithful to teach them to hide God’s Word in their hearts.

• “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6.
• “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.” Proverbs 1:8-9
• “My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.” Proverbs 6:20-22
• “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 3:14-15.

4. We Need To Pray For Our Children

I wish that I could say that prayer is always the first thing that comes to mind when my child is struggling in an area. Or even when my child is celebrating a victory for that matter. However, all too often I’m still guilty of resorting to prayer only after all of my DOING has failed. As if I think that my frail human attempts will prove more effective than going to the Creator of the Universe for help. The Creator of my child. The One who spoke life into him, knew him before he was born, and knows every intricate detail about him. The One who actually does have the power to make a difference.

Friends, if we pray in faith, according to God’s will, then we can rest assured that He hears us and He will answer. It may not be in the way that we desire, but we need to remember that His ways are so much higher than our own.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:8-9.

Please don’t neglect to pray for your children. We have an enemy who desperately wants to destroy the family unit and is targeting our children like never before.

Pray for them to have wisdom in the decisions they make.

Pray that they will have godly friendships who will draw them closer to Christ and for them to also be that kind of friend in return.

Pray for them to have strong convictions and a backbone to stand up for what is right, even if that means standing alone.

Pray for them to be a light and live a life that will honor their Maker.  

“Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.

5. We Need To See Our Children As A Blessing

I’m going to step out of my comfort zone a bit here and say something that may be hard to hear.

This “Mommy needs wine” mindset that we see so often in our current culture is viewing children as a burden and not a blessing.

Yes, parenting is hard! But, attempting to numb away the trials while degrading the little ones God has placed into our care is completely contrary to God’s purpose in granting us the privilege of becoming parents.

Children are such a blessing! I cannot even begin to tell you how many times their sweet innocence or child-like faith has taught me far more than my words and actions have taught them.

God, in His goodness, often allows the parenting struggles to teach us His truths. My crazy, chaotic days of motherhood have a way of revealing that my heart is still harboring more sin than I care to admit. And through God’s grace He can forgive me, wipe the slate clean, and give me a gracious spirit to be the best mommy I can be in the midst of the hardships.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” Psalm 127:3-5

6. We Need To “Go Into All The World”

It is crucial that we are faithful to share the gospel with those God has placed around us. Jesus’s instruction for us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” in Matthew 28 applies within the home too!

As mothers our primary ministry should be to pour into the lives of our children the good news of Christ. Even if you think that your children are too young to fully understand their sinful nature and need for a Redeemer, please still share it with them. The beauty of the gospel is that it is powerful enough to save the most wretched sinners and yet simple enough for little minds to grasp.

We can pray the gospel over our infants.

Share it with our tantrum throwing two year old.

Explain it in more depth with our older children who are contemplating the consequences of their actions.

A great way to do this is to read over the 10 Commandments with your child and discuss what each one means (age appropriately). Then talk about whether or not they have kept these commands. Explain that God gave these instructions to us not to point the figure at us and to condemn us, but for the exact opposite reason!

He was showing us how life works best and that, yes, we do fall short and have broken His commands…which is exactly why He sent His Son to die on the cross and rescue us from the penalty of our sin.

If we choose to repent of our sin, ask for forgiveness, and trust in Jesus’s sacrifice than we can be certain of an eternity spent with Him in Heaven someday.

What Does The Bible Say About Motherhood?

There is one unlikely Bible verse that comes to mind when thinking about motherhood.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”

Matthew 16:24

Motherhood is undoubtedly one of the highest of callings, and worth pouring every bit of our hearts into. Dr. John Trainer says “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” And as mothers we just so happen to have the privilege of loving and leading these precious little ones.

One of the most impactful ways we can do this is simply leading by example. If our children see a mom who genuinely loves her Savior, delights to read His Word, joyfully worships (even as the hardships arise), and faithfully prays, they will witness firsthand the beauty of a life truly devoted to Jesus.

They will understand what it means to take up your cross and follow Him.

And they will understand the depths of their own sin and the amazing grace and mercy He offers that we come nowhere near derserving.

Our whole hearted pursuit of our Savior can have a much greater impact than many of us ever thought possible. We are not perfect and we will fail our children at times, but in so doing we can point them to the One who never will.

So what does the Bible say about parenting? I believe it can all be sumed up in a few short sentences… We’ve been given an amazing privilege to raise the children God has entrusted into our care. May we seek His wisdom through prayer. Dig into His Word. And raise them well.