By Keith Simon
Jesus: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
God didn’t design anyone to be sustained only by food. We were made to to feed on the spiritual truth found in the Bible.
That’s true for all of us but today our focus is on parents. So here’s what Jesus is saying to you if you’re a mom or dad: “Parents shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The Bible gives parents perspective, encouragement, correction, and so much more.
Get these verses in a convenient card format to review and remember later. You can download them here, or at the end of this post:
1. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18)
Parenting is very difficult. No one has it figured out. Resist the temptation to project the image that you have all the answers. Be willing to ask for help.
2. “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13)
Every parent screws up and desperately needs God’s grace. Thankfully his grace is endless. Take your sin and failures as a parent and run to the cross.
3. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)
God has a race marked out for every person–including your child. No two people have the exact same race which is why you shouldn’t ever compare your child’s life with another person’s. But here’s the main point: You don’t get to determine your child’s race. That’s God’s job. Stop trying to do his job. After all you’re not God. He will do his job better than you.
4. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26)
The best thing you can do for your child is to love Jesus FAR more than you love them.
5. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them….God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31)
Note that Adam and Eve were created and declared very good without kids. That means that when kids come along they shouldn’t be the center of your family. The family existed before the kids came and will exist after they leave the house. So if the best thing you can do for your kids is to love God more than you love them (see #4), then the second best thing you can do for them is to prioritize their mom/dad over them. Controversial, I know. I just happen to think that the husband/wife relationship takes priority over the mom/kid or dad/kid relationship.
6. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28)
Your kid is going to go through hard times. When that happens will you freak out or will you point them to the gospel which promises that God is at work for their good in those difficulties?
7. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
God loves your child more than you. Really. I promise.
8. “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:36)
If that’s true, if your child’s soul is far more important than trips or grades or athletic teams, or anything else in the whole wide world, then prioritize nourishing and caring for their soul.
9. “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end” (Proverbs 29:11)
Anger damages relationships more than most of us realize. In the home, anger makes kids walk on egg shells and wall themselves off. Anger isn’t attractive or winsome.
10. “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:1)
The point of this verse isn’t that only the king’s heart is in God’s hand. No, just the opposite. The point is if even the king’s heart is in God’s hand how much more is that true of everyone else’s.
That means your child’s heart is in God’s hands. God is good. Trust him with your child’s life, their future, their health, their friends, their salvation. Ultimately, your child is in God’s hands. That’s good news for every parent.
Sometimes, it can seem unrealistic for busy parents to find time to memorize Scripture. And adding one more thing to the “I should be doing this” list feels overwhelming. Check out these free downloadable cards to help make learning these important Bible verses more doable.