shepherding book quote 13

From Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Tedd Tripp...

The central focus of childrearing is to bring children to a sober assessment of themselves as sinners. They must understand the mercy of God, who offered Christ as a sacrifice for sinners... The cross of Christ must be the central focus of your childrearing.

... The focal point of your discipline and correction must be your children seeing their utter inability to do the things that God requires unless they know the help and strength of God. Your correction must hold the standard of righteousness as high as God holds it. God's standard is correct behavior flowing from a heart that loves God and has God's glory as the sole purpose of life...

... The alternative is a lesser standard that does not require grace and does not cast them on Christ, but rather on their own resources.

Dependence on their own resources moves them away from the cross. It moves them away from any self-assessment that would force them to conclude that they desperately need Jesus' forgiveness and power (p. 123-124; emphases mine).