Honor and Glory

Helping Kids Understand Authority – Tedd Tripp, a Biblical Parenting Conference, Session 3.

In October 2008, Mars Hill Church hosted a Biblical Parenting Conference with Dr. Tedd Tripp, who presented biblical teaching on topics from formative instruction to corrective discipline.

This was a good session! I have known that I was strict mom. I mean I know I am compared to others; but it happens to be my downfall in my patience department and I need to show more outspoken love to my children. Mind you I do many things for my husband and children. I stay at home, clean, drive, care for them, teach them (children), and TRY to be a role model for them always.

In more ways than one I am hard on them than not. I like to strive to be better at things….though I’d say I am not a perfectionist (clearly since I can’t keep a clean house or clean kids), but I don’t strive mediocrity. Most people don't know that in Gods' word...there is a hierarchy within the family and community.

Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Psa 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psa 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet:
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, [and whatsoever] passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth!


I expect the children to obey because it is God’s will, but it is the manner of how that is achieved that is important. Like he said in the video that this video made me even more aware that kid’s response is reflected by *MY* behavior. And yes, I am not totally oblivious to this matter… it’s not an epiphany but more of a reminder.

I love the part of his discussion about children being like a train/locomotive on tracks. See, a train is an awesome force. What would happen if you said….let the train go free, be independent, and live the way ‘it’ wants to live on or off tracks. Well, hello!!! If you take a train OFF its tracks---it’s going nowhere—it doesn’t work the way it should. Freedom on the tracks is how it works. Being PARENTS to my children is how it works.

For our family it’s a matter of principles, and a matter of priorities. We don’t skip church to go to a game—especially not for the kids. We let them know that church---that God---is what matters most above all things in our lives.


Lately, a news report (Whether true or not) stated that an 8-year old boy had been suspended AND had to go through a psych evaluation because the teacher wanted the children to draw/write something about the ‘holidays.’ This boy and his family went to a Christmas event and it had Jesus on the cross-The crucifix. This is what he drew. Christian or not ---this is an icon. Jesus. Everyone knows who Jesus is---is a matter if they ignore Him or love Him.

Ok, forget that MAYBE the teacher did not ask the students to draw about Christmas…but my question is…WHY was he suspended then and why did he need a psych evaluation? Answer that one.

Believing in Christ does not equal or mandate a person to have a psych evaluation but this public school says so… and if not—they should clear that up and quickly and CLEARLY. People ask me why I chose homeschooling over public school---this is the reason—because we believe in Jesus Christ and we (as parents) won’t let anyone else telling us otherwise what we should do with our kids’ minds and souls. I don’t need the school telling me that he was suspended because he drew a drawing of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

The main bible verse for this day is Ephesians 6:1-3;

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.



Chart/Idea taken from the Session 3: A Biblical Parenting Conference. Shown above.