Ephesians 6:4

"Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

I hear too often about "tough love", yet we find no such thing described in God's instructions to parents for raising children. If by tough love, God's wrath is what is meant, then we must examine God's wrath. For one thing... it is just that - His, not man's. Most often He (God) Himself refers to wrath, or punishment as the fruit of what we do wrong. He rarely has to do anything but watch or allow the thing that we were told would happen by our wrong, to happen. What I mean is that the pain and suffering in doing wrong is already in the thing we may do wrong. God's wrath is nothing more than the truth He has said would happen if we do wrong. Our job is to teach our children these things God has said so they will not taste the fruit of wrong doing. For parents to irritate and provoke our children to anger will then come with this same wrath too! It may be that for a child's own protection that some sting may have to be applied to their bottom before they are able to reason, but reason is first required of the parent, which must be sought for from God.

The very first reference in the Bible to teaching has to do with Abraham's responsibility to bring up his own son in the nurture and admonition of the Lord...

"For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him" Genesis 18:19

Back to our study verse, the answer to the admonition against provoking, is in the same verse. Christian fathers, following the Holy Spirit, will rear their children [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord.

Let's pick up with Ephesians verse 6:5 next time.

I love you.