Nurture and Admonition

Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. - Ephesians 6:4 (KJV)

When we nurture our children we not only feed and protect them, but we also support and encourage them while training them what is right and wrong. How we nurture them of the Lord is training our children in the ways of the Lord. By teaching our children the Ten Commandments and teaching them that God is love, we nurture them to love God.

By bringing our children up in the admonition of the Lord, we teach them that not only is God love, but also that God does allow bad things to happen. This may not be a favorite thought, but it does happen and both adults and children have to be able to accept it. There will always be consequences for actions.

In society, there are many that do not accept cause and effect. We as adults, as children, as people, have to accept that for every action there is another action. We can’t blame God for the bad things that happen in our lives and the lives around us. If a person decides to get drunk and then behind the wheel, that is their own free will. When that person is in an accident, it is the effect of them doing something dangerous and not thinking of others.

With our children we can show this on a daily basis. If they do as they are told and are obedient then they can play outside or make a craft or something. Where if they aren’t obedient, then they don’t get to go and play until the chore is completed. The best way to teach this premise is to be hands on.

When the parent shows the discipline of studying God’s Word and doing chores, and being love, the children pick up on it. Children learn best by example. So in order to “bring them up in nurture and admonition of the Lord” we, as parents, have to do what we ask of our children. If we are teaching them to be in God’s Word, then we ourselves have to be also. If we are teaching them obedience, then we have to be obedient to. If we are teaching them to respect authority, then we ourselves have to respect authority. If we do not respect God, how can we expect our children too?

So the gist through my understanding is that we have to learn to show love, to our families and to those around us. Nurturing God's love into our children will teach them love and teaching them up with admonition will teach them respect and understanding there is consequences.