Parenting the Heart

Our behavior is heart driven. There­fore, correction, discipline and training, every aspect of parenting, must be addressed to the heart. The fundamental task of parenting is shepherding the hearts of your children.

Our children are blessings given to us by God and their hearts are your stewardship from God. He expects you to do your part in raising them to know and love Him. The good news is He has given you all you need in Him to accomplish his purposes. The heart is the best place to start!

The prophet Samuel spoke for God when he rebuked Saul for failing to obey God’s specific instructions (1 Samuel 13). Over and over again as reported in 1 Samuel, Saul overstepped the bounds God set for him. On several occasions he specifically disobeyed God. Although he was very careful to offer prescribed sacrifices to Him, Saul failed to offer God the ultimate sacrifice—obedience from a heart wholly devoted to Him (1 Samuel 15:22).

Finally, after one extremely serious act of disobedience, God sent Samuel to Saul with a twofold message: “Your kingdom shall not continue” and “The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

God was communicating something along this order—”Saul, you’re through as king. I’ve put up with your rebellious, unresponsive heart long enough, and now I’ve found just the right man to serve Me. This man who will take your place is a man with a responsive heart, a man with a heart of obedience, a man who will follow all My commands, fulfill all My desires, and do all My will.”

This is where we witness two very different kinds of hearts—the heart of David and the heart of Saul.

  • David served God while Saul served himself and did things his way.
  • David was concerned with following God’s will, but Saul cared solely for his own will.
  • David’s heart was centered on God, and Saul’s was centered on Saul.
  • Even though David didn’t always obey God, he had what mattered over the long haul—a heart after God. In sharp contrast, Saul’s devotion to God was impulsive and sporadic.

David was a man’s man, well-known for his physical prowess and might as a warrior. Still, he was humbly dependent upon God, trusting in Him and repeatedly acknowledging, “The Lord is the strength of my life” (Psalm 27:1). Saul, on the other hand, was proud. He relied on his own skill, his own wisdom and judgment, and his arm of flesh.

God gave both of these kings opportunities to lead Israel, but in the end they walked down different paths—Saul away from God and David toward Him.

The heart God delights in is compliant, cooperative, and responsive to Him and His commands. When you train your children, be sure to look to their heart for insight into the behavior. Pray and ask God to reveal their hearts to you so that you can parent them better. And don’t forget that being a good role model is Godly parenting at its finest.

RESPOND:

Lord, help me to shepherd my child’s heart, and parent out of love rather than fear. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:

proverbs 31, Elizabeth George Books

Delight in God and discover how to experience a richer, more exciting spiritual walk as you embrace God's design for true beauty in your life.

REFLECT:

Is my own heart responsive to the Lord?

REMEMBER:

When you train your children, be sure to look to their heart for insight into the behavior.


Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Jim and Elizabeth George

Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:

  • Simplify life by focusing on God’s priorities.
  • Appreciate God’s Word and apply it to everyday situations.
  • Respond to circumstances with confidence by seeing yourself through God’s loving eyes.
  • Increase closeness in marriage by serving and honoring each other.
  • Powerfully shape the hearts of children and teenagers.
  • Enjoy greater intimacy with God.

Learn more about Jim and Elizabeth George here.

Jim and Elizabeth George

Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:

  • Simplify life by focusing on God’s priorities.
  • Appreciate God’s Word and apply it to everyday situations.
  • Respond to circumstances with confidence by seeing yourself through God’s loving eyes.
  • Increase closeness in marriage by serving and honoring each other.
  • Powerfully shape the hearts of children and teenagers.
  • Enjoy greater intimacy with God.

Learn more about Jim and Elizabeth George here.


Also in From Our Hearts

Forgiveness, the New Normal
Forgiveness, the New Normal

by Elizabeth George October 29, 2024

Jesus is asking you and me to forgive as He did—to reflect Him. He wants us to respond to a higher standard, a divine standard. Like the saying goes, “To err is human, but to forgive, divine.”
Read More
Wisdom is Always Available by Elizabeth George
Wisdom is Always Available!

by Elizabeth George October 15, 2024

You need wisdom—God’s wisdom—and there’s no need to wait even another second for it. Why? Because God has promised you wisdom.

Read More
Forgiving Others by Elizabeth and Jim George
Forgiving Others

by Elizabeth George October 01, 2024

Family time offers many opportunities to gather with people who have hurt us and whom we may otherwise avoid. Thankfully, God’s Word can help us navigate such relationships.
Read More