by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee."

Proverbs 4:1-9

Simply living under the same roof doesn't give your child the parenting they need.

Proverbs 4 shows a father's instruction to his son. King Solomon talks of his father's involvement in his life and the instruction David gave Solomon. Although he had many children, David was very involved in Solomon's life and took time to teach him of wisdom.

As a parent, God wants you to be involved in your child's life. Too many parents are absent in our society. They allow their children to do whatever they want, then later wonder why their children develop problems and face difficulties.

Let's look at three areas in which we should be involved in our children's lives.

Worship time. Your children need to see you put a priority on worshipping God. Talking of God and teaching them to honor the Lord is needed, but they also need to see it in your life as well.

Worship time isn't restricted to simply time at church. Talk to them about what they learned in church. Lead them in prayer. Send them emails or texts with encouraging Bible verses. You can involve them in worship time at any time of day.

Work time. Involve your children in work time around the house. They may not enjoy the work, but spend time building your relationship with them. If it helps, get creative and find ways to get them excited about helping you. While together, engage them in conversation and teach them godly principles.

Fun time. Every family needs to enjoy fun time together periodically. This time doesn't have to cost a lot, but needs to show your children that they can find fun and enjoyment by being with their family. Too many children want to pull away from their families and gravitate toward friends, but make sure to set aside time to be with your family, doing something you all enjoy.

Are you involved in your child's life? Simply living under the same roof doesn't give your child the parenting they need. Actively involve yourself in their life by engaging them in worship time, work time, and fun time.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalm 10-12 | Acts 19:1-20