[read Ephesians 6:4, 1 Cor 13 : 4-7, 1 Cor 8 :1b, Titus 2: 4]
- A child who knows and experiences the love of the parents in the home will be able to identify and understand better the love of God for his children.
- Comfort and happiness in the home are as necessary as teaching, training and discipline for the holistic upbringing of the child.
- Parents should strive with all their power to make their home the centre of the children’s happiness, and of pleasant memories for their whole lifetime.
- Children want the companionship of their parents… just to be together… to be also a friend… confidante.
Love needs to be demonstrated – God proved His love for us by giving us His only begotten Son – Jesus Christ.
Love needs to be expressed – get physical: touch, hug, cuddle, kiss .It’s the first way we communicate to our children as babies. Even as they grow older they need to receive hugging love from parents.
Love needs to be expressed – be verbal: spoken, verbally expressed. Give reassurance, especially after discipline – done constantly and regularly.
Love needs to be expressed – by writing eg notes, cards. They need not be reserved only for special occasions.
Love needs to be expressed – by provision of adequate basic necessities – food, shelter, clothing – within financial means. Parents need to be careful though not to lavish on their kids otherwise you will demonstrate wrong values to your children. Parents need to learn to say no.
Love needs to be expressed by spending time with the kids: a key factor in expressing love toward our children.
We can love our children without spending a lot of money lavishing gifts and material things on them. One way is to involve whole family in your activities… recreation, etc. Helps bind parents and children together in love.
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.- Prov 13:24
Love is patient; forbearing, encouraging & inspiring. Love is kind; accepting, thoughtful & respecting
Love does not envy, covet, is not jealous. Love does not boast; is not arrogant, dictatorial, oppressive or domineering. It does not keep a record of wrongs; is not unforgiving or self-righteous . Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth; abhors lies and sin; delights in the Lord and in His word.
Ultimately love always protects [ cares, shows concern] , trusts [ has faith in, believes in; is not suspicious], hopes[ is encouraging, exhorting, optimistic, positive] and perseveres [ determined, long suffering].
True love never fails to produce joy and happiness, peace and harmony and in the process, delights God.
Questions
Seize this opportunity to share with the group the situation of your family life. Do not hesitate to identify what you are doing well using the points above as a checklist. Similarly , share the areas you feel need improvement .
Pray as a group after the sharing