Key Bible Verse: "When he does wrong, I will punish him. … But my love will never be taken away from him" (2 Samuel 7:14-15, NIV). Bonus Reading: Isaiah 46:3-4

Our son, home on a college break, brought up a memory that strongly impressed him. When he was four or five, our family drove by a prison facility. I explained to him what a prison was and delivered a short lesson: Don't be bad like those men! Yet my son remembers that I ended by saying, "But even if you went to jail someday, we'd still love you."

All children need to know that they don't have to perform for their parents' love … that it's unconditional and will never end … that even if everyone else turns against them, their parents will still be on their side.

But "standing with them" doesn't mean bailing children out of deserved punishments. If they choose to do something wrong, they should be disciplined appropriately. Taking the time and effort to correct them and show them the right behavior is one way we demonstrate our love.

Those raised without knowing such love from parents often doubt throughout life that God truly loves them. Children who discover God's love and mercy early on have laid a cornerstone on which to build a lifetime of worship.

—Patrick Kavanaugh in Raising Children to Adore God

My Response: How have I spoken and demonstrated my unconditional love?

Thought to Apply: Children need to be hugged and unhugged. If you're always shoving them away, they'll cling to you for love. If you're always holding them close, they'll cling to you from fear.—POLLY BERENDS

Adapted from Raising Children to Adore God (Chosen, 2003) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Help me, Lord, to empower my children by investing in their physical, emotional, and spiritual maturity.

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