You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
(Deuteronomy 6:7)
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:16)

          Today our society is watching the disintegration of the family unit as it has been known. Christian families find themselves at great risk in the present cultural environment.
          It is basic to the Christian family to establish spiritual priorities.  What are priorities?  Webster defines a priority as an “order of preference based on urgency, importance, or merit.” It is that which is foremost in our judgment; indeed, it is where we place our values.
          God holds the parents responsible for the development of the right priorities in the household.  Children imitate their parents…and copy their concepts, attitudes and actions.  That is why Moses put such great emphasis on this in Deuteronomy 6:7. 
          Here are some practical helps for us as parents to encourage our children in receiving loving training and life experiences.
 1. Seek the Lord daily in prayer for His strength and wisdom.
 2. Study your children well – their likes and dislikes, their personalities, their spiritual gifts and their passions.
 3. Set the standards and draw the line biblically and sensibly, not culturally or conveniently.
 4. Spend time together in family devotions.
 5. Start by example and leading the way.
 6. Stand together and support each other as mom and dad – “united we stand, divided we fall.”
 7. Standards that are set should be followed firmly and freely.
          Martin Luther realized that training was the right mixture of discipline and love when he said, “Punish if you must but let the sugar plum go with the correction.”
          The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him (Proverbs 23:24) …But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother (Proverbs 29:15b). 
          Give your children lots of hugs…hugs don’t have to be dusted!

Joy Hubbard 

Writer for “Real Victory for Real Life” 
365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick
VOLUME 2
To order a copy of “REAL VICTORY For REAL LIFE” 365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick, forwarded by Dr. Joseph Stowell visit  www.americaskeswick.org  and click on store.