Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Don’t Raise Good Little Children!

In Shepherding a Child’s Heart, Ted Tripp argues that the gospel affects how we teach our children right and wrong. He emphasizes the power of the gospel to meet our human situation. As sinners we need God’s work of transformation and forgiveness. This requires more than a simplistic formula for producing children who believe. He writes:

“The central focus of parenting is the gospel. You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts. You need to show them not just the “what” of their sin and failure, but the “why.” Your children desperately need to understand not only the external “what” they did wrong, but also the internal “why” they did it. You must help them see that God works from the inside out. Therefore, your parenting goal cannot be well behaved children. Your children must also understand why they sin and how to recognize internal change.” (Ted Tripp, Shepherding a Child’s Heart, 2005, xxii)

3 comments:

Shawn said...

Amen! I listened to this with my wife again and had to repent.

I think I should read it every year like Pilgrim's Progress to help my foolish heart that tries to train up differently than this biblically sound method that Tripp teaches.

It's so true and helpful everytime I read it.

May God be glorified in my weakness in training up my kids and save them in spite of myself

Bhedr said...

Amen! Death to the old remnants of the old Adam. Glory to the ever blessed Christ who will strengthen us as he promised.

Wow,

I haven't been over here for a week or two. Didn't realize you posted on Tripp as well.

The Lord is speaking!

I guess the last couple of weeks I have been putting my attention in the bin again. Die ol flesh! Die!

Bhedr said...

By that I mean on blogs that are theological black holes.

It is good to browse here.