Parenting Proverbs | Jeff Clark

Unsolicited advice = criticism

God's grace is available to all who repent and come to Him.

Luke 15:11-32 NIV

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Parenting Proverbs

I. Let Them Fail.

"Failure is the cost of education." - Andrew Khoury

Failure is inevitable, but growth is optional.

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hebrews 5:8 NIV

8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

"meta" = "future"

"morph" = "change"

Parenting Proverbs

I. Let Them Fail.
II. Pray – Don’t Pry.

James 5:16 NIV

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Scriptures for Parents to Pray:

Proverbs 1:7 – Lord, may my children fear You and know that YOU are the beginning of all knowledge. May they not ever be fools in Your eyes by despising instruction.

Proverbs 1:8-9 – Lord, allow my sons and daughters to hear the instruction of their father and not forsake the teaching of their mother.

Proverbs 2:1-8 – May my children receive my words and the Words of the Lord. Help them incline their ear to wisdom and apply it to their hearts. May they cry out for discernment and listen for Your voice instead of following the ways of the world. May they seek treasure (YOUR treasure) as silver, that they may fear You, Lord, and find Your knowledge and wisdom. For You give wisdom, from Your mouth comes knowledge and understanding, You are a shield to those who walk uprightly. You preserve the way of the saints. I ask You, God, to incline my children’s hearts to You.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Lord, allow my children to trust in You with all their hearts and not lean on their own understanding. Help them to acknowledge You in all their ways, and then You will direct their paths.

Proverbs 3:7 – God, may my children not be wise in their own eyes. Grant them humility. May they fear You and despise evil.

Proverbs 7:2 – Lord, even when my children disobey, bring them back to Yourself, remind them that they are the apple of Your eye. May Your Word be the apple of their eye all the days of their lives.

Proverbs 8:33-36 – Lord, help my children to hear Your instruction and the instruction of the wise adults in their lives. Blessed are those who listen to You! Allow my children to learn that whoever finds You, finds life.

Proverbs 10:12 – Oh Lord, may my children know and believe with all their hearts that they are LOVED. You tell us in Your Word that hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

Proverbs 15:13 – Lord, if any of my children are prone to negativity, may they be reminded that a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. Help them learn how to fix their eyes on You and to be intentional about it. Help them know that dwelling on You is where true peace is found.

Practice benevolent neglect.

Parenting Proverbs

I. Let Them Fail.
II. Pray – Don’t Pry.
III. Work On You.

1. Health

2. Marriage

3. Counseling

4. Spiritual Activity

Luke 2:52 NIV

52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Parenting Proverbs

I. Let Them Fail.
II. Pray – Don’t Pry.
III. Work On You.
IV. Keep Short Receipts.

Proverbs 19:11 NIV

11 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 24:29 NIV

29 Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”

Parenting Proverbs

I. Let Them Fail.
II. Pray – Don’t Pry.
III. Work On You.
IV. Keep Short Receipts.
V. Celebrate Their Value.

Colossians 3:21 NLT

21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.

Don't choose a candidate over your kid.

Proverbs 18:21a ESV

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.