Courageous Joy

PARENTING/DISCIPLINE in Proverbs - Chapter 6
(OK I'm using TINY font and this is showing HUGE - not sure what else to do - sorry LOL)

6:20 - "My son, observe the commandment (4687) of your father and do not forsake the teaching (law KJV - 8451) of your mother."

6:21 - "Bind them continually on your heart, tie them around your neck."

6:22 - "When you walk about they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake they will talk to you."

6:23 - For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is a light; and reproofs for discipline are the way of life.....

~Discipline - a good time to remember that our discipline, teaching, training of our children is to be theocentric (God Centered) and theofugal (God Natured) - see previous rod posts under parenting for complete word study.

~I am NOT to take lightly my responsibility as a parent.

~Mike's commandments and my teaching (law) must agree!!! (Word studies to follow)

~My teaching should enhance Mike's commands; not compete with his commands or disagree with them

~If I wife believes her dh's teachings are wrong she should pray and humbly address it with her husband. She should NOT dishonor her husband to her children and sow strife in her family. (This would really work both ways - I'm guessing - but if you've married a godly man his commandments will be centered on the Word of God - so if you are straining at his commandments you may have a bigger heart issue to deal with yourself.)

~a wife who sows disrespect by disdaining her husband will reap dishonor and disrespect from her children (this would seem to apply with a godly or ungodly husband - note I am not addressing abusive situations here). I guess what I'm trying to say is that regardless of your quarrel with a husband, regardless of who is right or wrong...children should not be seen as pawns to get on your side to strengthen your position. If there is a problem or disagreement in the home between spouses....we must pray, fast and address it....not allow it to fester while we may snide comments in our children's hearing.

Solomon goes on to give concrete examples of teaching.

6:21/22 Commandments and teachers are to reach my child's heart! they are to affect all areas of his life.

~Am I getting through? If not, it is worth making this a matter of prayer and fasting. Actually, I do fast weekly for my children/husband/marriage. I share that so that you know that real people do take these matters seriously....and if you have me on a pedestal - take me down. I'm a real flesh and blood woman with fears, failures and sins like anyone else.

commandment - 4687 - miswah -
Strongs - precept, command, law
Dr. Zodhiates - body of teachings - most often used of God's laws (Pentateuch - first 5 books of Bible).

law (Kjv) teaching (nasb) 8451 - torah
Strongs - precept, statute, law
Dr. Z - instruction, direction, law, whole law, from the very yaroh - meaning to teach/instruct. "Instructions in a general way from God".

Commands of father spoken of here are to be God's commands - not a father's willy nilly decrees.....but....again...if you feel your dh is in error you are not allowed to dishonor him.

Teachings of mother here are also to be based on God's word and His law....not namby pamby current child psychology....

Commands - may be the underlying principles that guide our home
Teachings - the daily instructions that make those principles real and concrete in our home

Commands are a lamp - teachings are a light -

Further Study: I'll have to do some further study on those words/concepts/word pictures and meditating (marinating) on the Word.