The book of Proverbs is a gift from God to help guide each of us on how we should live our lives. It is easy to forget in the chaos of living, that life is short and our time on this earth is limited. In the technological age, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the billions of opinions crying out telling us how we as parents should live and how we should raise our children. The truth is, all true wisdom is given to us by God, not man, through the Holy Spirit. That is why God gave humanity His Word.

                When I think of instructing my children or any children, I continuously find myself turning to Proverbs. For wisdom of the Lord is found in Proverbs and addresses many of the challenges we each have or will face in life. This morning, while doing school, one of my children was becoming frustrated with the math homework. The debate on why homework was so vital naturally was raised. So, we took a break, prayed together and then opened to the book of Proverbs. God gave each of us work to do in our lives. We discussed how working hard was one of God’s commands. Instead of just saying it, we both got our Bibles out and opened to the book of Proverbs to read it together.

                We opened to Proverbs 19. We read the whole chapter, but discussed verse 19:15-18 in particular.

               In today’s modern culture of continuously looking for easier ways to make our lives increasingly convenient; we forget that work comes from the Lord. Our children must be instructed by the wisdom of the LORD, for His ways are perfect. God is truth and He provided His Word to his people to not only teach them, but for us to teach our children. God is the Great Teacher and Mighty Councilor. It is so easy to forget that when there are hundreds and millions of child-rearing options out there. God is continuously calling His people back to His Word for guidance, for His Word will remain forever. Nothing else will.

                Teaching my children to work hard is to prepare them for the reality of the hardship they each will face as adults. Slothfulness leads to death. A lack of discipline with children is a detriment and cruelty to them in their future. To love our children means to discipline them. Every parent has their own way of performing the task of instruction and discipline. Each child is different and responds differently to various types of instruction. What will be effective with each child is up to the parent to decide. After all, God gave each of us our children knowing that we would be the ones to guide and raise them up.  This is reality that cannot be hidden from them. Each of them must learn to work and gain their knowledge from the Lord.

                I explained to my child that God had given him to me to teach and instruct in the ways he should go. To instruct him in the ways of the Lord, to seek God’s wisdom when he does not know what to do. We each must constantly, daily, moment by moment be turning to the Lord because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide us through each and every situation. What does that mean? Seeking God through prayer when we’re frustrated, reading the Bible for guidance, and acting according to the Word of God. For He alone provides the answers in how we should live. Teach your children to seek the wisdom of God and they shall find Him. God has supplied and will supply wisdom to all who seek Him. Just look at Proverbs 3.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,

and the one who gets understanding,

for the gain from her is better than gain

from silver

and her profit better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare

with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who lay hold

of her;

Those who hold her fast are called blessed.

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding he established the

heavens;

by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, do not lose sight of these –

keep sound wisdom and discretion,

and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck.

Then you will walk on your way securely,

And your foot will not stumble.

If you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be

sweet.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror

Or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught.

Do not withhold good from those to whom

it is due,

when it is in your power to do it.

Proverbs 3:1-27

Why do I write all these verses out? Because the truth is, we each need to read the Word of God daily. Jesus Christ taught this after He fed the five thousand in John 6.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:26-27

                Jesus told us to work not for food of this world, but for the food that endures to eternal life. All of our work, whether a mother at home raising her children or a man in his work doing his best to provide for his family; ultimately, in all of our work, we need to teach our children to work for the Lord. So, to end, here are the precious words of Jesus Christ on how we should work and instruction for our children.

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” John 6:28-29