Parenting the Purposes of Your Child’s Heart (Proverbs 20)
With little information we make quick judgments about the motives of politicians, celebrities, and our children. Proverbs 20 applies to all people but it certainly offers parents and stepparents wisdom. "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters," it says, "but a man of understanding draws them out." A wise parent probes with questions, listens, and slowly determines what motivated a child's actions. Then they respond, not just to the outward behavior but to the character they seek to shape.
Show Notes
About the Guest
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With little information we make quick judgments about the motives of politicians, celebrities, and our children. Proverbs 20 applies to all people but it certainly offers parents and stepparents wisdom. "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters," it says, "but a man of understanding draws them out." A wise parent probes with questions, listens, and slowly determines what motivated a child's actions. Then they respond, not just to the outward behavior but to the character they seek to shape.
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Ron Deal
Ron L. Deal is one of the most widely read and viewed experts on blended families in the country. He is Director of FamilyLife Blended® for FamilyLife®, founder of Smart Stepfamilies™, and the author and Consulting Editor of the Smart Stepfamily Series of books including the bestselling Building Love Together in Blended Families: The 5 Love Languages® and Becoming Stepfamily Smart (with Dr. Gary Chapman), The Smart Stepfamily: 7 Steps to a Healthy Family, and ...more
Quick judgments often lead to foolish responses.
Parenting the Purposes of Your Child’s Heart (Proverbs 20)
Ron: Quick judgments often lead to foolish responses.
Announcer: For FamilyLife Blended®, here’s Ron Deal.
Ron: We live in a world of quick judgments. With just a little information we make judgments about the motives of politicians, celebrities, and our children. Proverbs 20 applies to all people but it certainly offers parents and stepparents wisdom about building character in children: “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters,” it says, “but a man of understanding draws them out.”
Quick judgments look only at what’s on the surface, but a wise parent looks deeper. They probe with questions. They listen and slowly determine what motivated a child’s actions. Then they decide how to respond, not just to the outward behavior, but to the character they are shaping in the child’s heart. For FamilyLife Blended I’m Ron Deal.
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