The Habit of Obedience

IX. Train them to a habit of Obedience

"Parents, determine to make your children obey you, though it may cost you much trouble, and cost them many tears. . .

"Parents, do you wish to see your children happy? Take care, then, that you train them to obey when they are spoken to,--to do as they are bid. Believe me, we are not made for entire independence,--we are not fit for it. Even Christ's freeman have a yoke to wear,--they 'serve the Lord Christ' (Col iii.24). Children cannot learn too soon that this is a world in which we are not all intended to rule, and that we are never in our right place until we know how to obey our betters. Teach them to obey while young, or else they will be fretting against God all their lives long, and wear themselves out with the vain idea of being independent of His control.

"Reader, this hint is only too much needed. You will see many in this day who allow their children to choose and think for themselves long before they are able, and even make excuses for their disobedience, as if it were a thing not to be blamed. To my eyes, a parent always yielding, and a child always having its own way, are a most painful sight;. . .

~ From The Duties of Parents, J. C. Ryle
(See our first post in this series)

[Well now, there is nothing new under the sun. We can see Mr. Ryle had the same problems in his day. I like his paragraph with the long list of examples from Scripture. Be sure to read that.  ~ mr]