Shepherding a Child's Heart

Preparation for Relationships
Your children will need finely honed communication skills for
every relationship they will ever have. As workers, whether in the
position of an employer or employee, they must understand others
and express their thoughts to others. As husbands or wives, they need
the same abilities. As consumers, citizens, members of the body of
Christ, parents—in every stage and station of life—they must learn to
speak with precision and accuracy. They must gain facility in drawing
others out.
Communication is the art of expressing in godly ways what is in
my heart and of hearing completely and understanding what another
thinks and feels.
Home is the place for developing these skills. What a great
advantage for the child who has learned to articulate his thoughts and
to understand others.
Every time you tenderly draw the deepest wishes, hopes, thoughts,
ideas, and desires out of your children, you become an example of
how to serve in this important area of relationship.
Full-Orbed Understanding of Life
Sensitive communication with your children enables them to
understand the complexity of life. They learn that life is concerned
with both the world of feelings and the world of ideas. It means
understanding yourself and others. It means having long-term vision
as well as short-term goals. It’s being concerned with not only the
“what” or “what happened,” but also about the “why.”
It means seeing character development as more important than
short-term gratification. Only biblical communication will expose
these important life issues. The more you talk with your children,
helping them to understand themselves, their temptations, fears and
doubts, the more you prepare them to understand life in the world.

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