Parenting by the Book
STUDY 240
Text: Proverbs 20
29 January 2006
Dear Parents,
THE VALUE OF GOOD COUNSEL
It would be wonderful if our children are taught how to value good counsel from a young age. The following text offers a great challenge.
Plans are established by counsel;
By wise counsel wage war.Proverbs 20:18
FROM PLAYING TO PLANNING
Children do not know how to plan their lives. That is obvious. Because they are children, they wake up each morning with “play” on their minds. There is nothing wrong with that because they are after all children. But soon they must learn how to make plans. They will need all the assistance they can get to learn how they can make plans for their life.
PLANS AND GOOD COUNSEL
Let us consider how parents and children can work together.
1. Learning to make plans
Children should be encouraged to learn how to make plans:-
a) Begin with making little plans.
b) Advance to making bigger plans.
2. The role of parents
What is their role as they watch their children make plans?
a) They must not think that they can now leave their children on their own.
b) Children can and will make mistakes along the way.
c) The role of parents is to offer good counsel.
3. An effective illustration
The example chosen is that of making plans for war. If wars are not planned carefully, then defeat is certain. How are wars planned?
a) There will be war strategists.
b) There will always be war counselors.
This is similar in pattern as that of children and parents working together.
Prayerfully,
Pastor Charlie