Proverbs is one of the Bible books I encourage kids and teens to read first when they attempt independent Bible reading. Proverbs is an awesome book. I know, every book in the Bible is wonderful, Proverbs is special. I love it because it is full of hundreds of tiny bits of wisdom, any of which can be life and eternity changing for those who heed them.
A proverb can say clearly in a few words what other authors may take a long story or a sermon to try and communicate. This is great for little ones with relatively short attention spans. They only have to attend for less than a minute to learn godly advice which can help them the rest of their lives.
Proverbs are also great because they often paint vivid images or have a touch of humor. Who doesn’t remember the Proverb about an annoying, nagging woman being like a constant leak in a roof? (27:15) You can close your eyes and picture the cartoon God’s words create. Yet at the heart of this humorous image is an important truth for women to avoid becoming an annoying “leaky roof” in the lives of others.
If you are the parent of a young child, the word most often uttered by your child is quite possibly “Why?” Children are naturally curious. They are hardwired to ask questions, because the answers help them learn more about the world around them than they can easily discover with their senses.
When our daughter was little, she would wave forlornly as her dad drove off to work. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend time with me or that we weren’t going to have any fun without daddy. It was that children want and need both of their parents to be fully engaged with them. Our daughter knew when daddy drove away, he would be unavailable to spend time with her for several hours.
published by the American Bible Society is a textured paperback in the Good News Translation. While not my favorite translation, this particular Bible has a lot of additional study aids that make it worthwhile. (You can always look up passages in another version if you prefer.)
If you have been a Mom for very long at all, you realize your time with children at home is anything but quiet. Most of the time, all of that noise means love, fun and memory creation. Let’s be honest though, sometimes you wish you just had a few quiet minutes so you can complete a thought. The idea of spending a quiet time with God seems like a luxury a Mom can’t afford.
I always thought snuggling with your kids comes naturally to every parent and is done on an almost daily basis. Then last night, I heard a cop say that until he joined the force he didn’t realize some parents use the police to settle their arguments. It made him realize there are a lot of families who don’t understand how to parent in ways that are the healthiest for their children. I also realize many parents have the best of intentions, but let the busyness of life rob their kids of needed snuggle time.