Isaiah - Verse By Verse

Walk thru Eph #135

versebyverse | April 13, 2008 16:12

Thought:  To me, fathers are needed; especially to be more actively involved in the spiritual teaching of their children.

Question:  Do I exasperate my children?  Or do I nurture them?

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:4 (NIV):  "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

To "exasperate" is to "irritate exceedingly; to enrage."  Fathers are here directed not to cause their children to react angrily.  It is wrong to drive someone into anger with your words and/or behaviors.  It is wrong for parents to irritate their children.  Parents are to, contrarily, soothe, patiently teach and guide, and provide the antithesis of provocation or stirring up to trouble.  That is why the alternative is given right here in the verse:  "instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."  The King James Version uses the words "nurture and admonition of the Lord."  "Nurture" literally means "nourish."  This is referring to spiritual or moral teaching as nourishment for the soul. 

God never commands we erase a bad behavior without bringing to mind a good replacement activity to that behavior.  You cannot only stop bad behavior.  You have to also perform good behaviors.  Always, the good behavior is "of the Lord."  The Lord offsets our sinful angers, etc., not we ourselves.  Therefore, the only true antidote to sin is God's holiness, imparted to us through Christ, and here, imparted to the child through Christian training and Christian instruction.  So now the fathers cease from spending their time in wrangling with their children, unto exasperation, and begin to use their time, rather, to teach and instruct their children about the things of God.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Who nurtures His own children, including me, please guide all fathers into kind and loving child-rearing.  Amen. 

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