One Passage-Transformed Parenting

Many Christians have a “life verse”, but have you ever considered having a “parenting life verse?” For me, it comes from Deuteronomy 6. Many people know part of this chapter because of how important it is in both Christian and Jewish theology.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

To Christians, this passage is foundational in the theology of the Trinity. To a Jewish person, this is the Shema which is recited daily. Although we have heard verse 4-5 have you ever kept reading? If not here’s what comes next:

 ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

I know of people who have taken this verse literally and coated the door frames of their house in scripture but I believe this verse has the most impact when we understand the heart behind what it’s saying: PARENT EVERYWHERE!

If your desire as a parent is to raise children who love God and are equipt to be successful then we need to look for every opportunity to teach and train our children. Rather than just putting on the radio in the car use that time to talk with them about God, life, dreams, hopes, and their future. Rather than just doing the dishes yourself ask one of your children to keep you company and help, it will take longer, but then you can show them what doing things with excelance looks like while talkng about blessings like running water, fresh food, and HVAC.

Within our home, we have scripture and encouraging messages up all over, but I’m not sure that’s everything Deuteronomy 6:6-9 was talking about. Binding them in our homes really shows through with how we live. Our children watch to see if the God we profess and the principles we teach line up with the way we live. When they don’t it communicates that they really arn’t that important.

When we realize we are to parent everywhere it transforms our time and what we focus on. THe best part is I believe it also comes with a promise:

² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 

Deuteronomy 6:2

Within this passage I see 2 promises:

• Generational blessing: Not only does how we parent today affect our children, it then affects their children and the generation after them!
• Enjoyable long life: Too often we don’t enjoy our lives. Rutine and demands keep us bogged down. But when we focus on the next genersatoin we have something that can bring us great enjoyment and keep us focused on living in healthy ways so we are around to see what’s to come.

What are some ways you are applying this idea in your family?