Parenting by the Book
STUDY 215
Text: Proverbs 19
7 August 2005
Dear Parents,
HELPING OUR CHILDREN TO CULTIVATE A KIND HEART
One of the important things we surely want our children to cultivate is kindness of heart. Children can grow up to become very selfish and self-centered if they do not cultivate their hearts well. The following text challenges us to teach our children how they may regard the poor.
He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.Proverbs 19:17
What are some of the lessons we must seek to teach our children from this text?
1. “He who has pity on the poor”
a) Teach children that there are many in the world that are poor.
b) Teach them how to appreciate what they have in life.
c) Teach them how to regard the poor.
d) Teach them how to feel for the poor.
e) Teach them to feel “pity” (The word in modern language is “compassion”).
2. “Lends to the LORD”
a) Feelings must lead to positive action.
b) This text actually teaches us to “lend” to the poor.
c) In lending to the poor, we are lending to the Lord Himself.
d) Teach them that God wants us to know that He Himself cares for the poor.
3. “And He will pay back what he has given”
a) Yes! The word “given” and the word “lends” are synonymous in this text.
b) There is no need to fear that giving to the poor is a waste.
c) Giving to the Lord is certainly not a waste!
d) God will give us back what we give away to the poor!
Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie