Raising Wise Children

26 children in the training and instruction of the Lord. A more contemporary way of saying this is that parents are to coach their children in the fine points of knowing, loving and serving the Lord – and in warning what happens to those who depart from such a lifestyle. And for the children, Paul makes it clear that they are to obey their parents as if they were obeying the Lord, giving them honor and respect. Paul adds his own commentary to the importance of this commandment given by God. He says, the commandment comes with a promise. In New Testament terms Paul sums up what the promise looks like by saying that it involves having a good and long life upon the earth. In other words, the best life can be had by learning early to respect authority. The reformers, of course, took this commandment to extend beyond just respect given to mothers and fathers. They noted that Paul had written in the letter to the Romans, “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” (Romans 13:7, NIV). According to the reformers,