Using Bible verses for children’s behavior gives parents the opportunity to shape a child’s heart and character. When seeking to guide their behavior, the Bible gives timeless wisdom that will inspire and teach both parents and children. Using Scripture in your parenting not only helps address behavior and heart issues but also nurtures faith. It […] The post 15 Bible Verses For Children’s Behavior Struggles appeared first on The Character Corner.
Using Bible verses for children’s behavior gives parents the opportunity to shape a child’s heart and character. When seeking to guide their behavior, the Bible gives timeless wisdom that will inspire and teach both parents and children. Using Scripture in your parenting not only helps address behavior and heart issues but also nurtures faith. It helps to provide moral grounding in your children. In this post, we’ll look at why using Bible verses is a powerful tool for changing the heart, leading to behavior changes.
Parenting is filled with challenges, but every answer we need can be found in the Word of God. As we use Bible verses with our children, it will guide them and keep them from sin. (Psalm 119:11)
Why Use Bible Verses to Guide Children’s Behavior?
Scripture offers practical lessons for everyday life, and also helps shape a child’s character, instilling Godly traits like kindness, honesty, and compassion. Using Bible verses to teach and train our kids, we go past their behavior and focus on changing their heart. By teaching the Biblical principles, they develop an understanding of what God says is right and wrong, giving them a moral compass to guide them throughout life.
Teaching Character Through Scripture
God’s Word provides a firm foundation for teaching moral values and Godly character. By incorporating Scripture into lessons about honesty, kindness, patience, and self-control, we teach our kids how to please God and grow in their faith.
Using examples from the Bible is a great way to give applicable examples to our children:
- Joseph – forgiveness
- David – courage
- Ruth – loyalty
- Noah – obedience, trust
- Samuel – attentiveness
Biblical Parenting: Training Hearts, Not Just Actions
Parenting with a Biblical perspective focuses on shaping a child’s heart, rather than just focusing on outward behavior. The goal isn’t to change their behavior or make them stop what they’re doing, but rather to change the heart issue causing that behavior. We want them to know that God sees the heart, and how they can please Him. When children understand the why behind what we are teaching, they will be more likely to make a permanent change, rather than just trying to avoid punishment. This approach helps kids understand how their actions align with God’s Word, helping them to grow in their faith.
Bible Verses for Common Behavior Struggles
The Bible has answers for every need, including our kids’ behavior struggles. Instead of seeing wrong behavior as a frustration, view it as an opportunity to point them to God’s Word.
We often skip Scripture in correction because we can’t recall a relevant verse. Here’s a list of common behaviors and verses to share.
What Scripture Is for Obedience for Kids?
- Ephesians 6:1 – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
- Colossians 3:20 – “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
Kindness & Self-Control
- Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Honesty & Integrity
- Proverbs 12:22 – “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”
- Psalm 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”
Encouragement & Strength When Kids Struggle
- Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
- Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Training & Correcting the Heart With Scripture is designed to make it simple for parents to use God’s Word for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. If you’re tired of scolding and want effective correction that focuses on changing your child’s heart, use Scripture.
What Does the Bible Say About Dealing with Difficult Children’s Behavior?
The Bible provides wisdom and practical guidance for addressing challenging behavior in our children. This guidance should focus on love, discipline, and patience. God’s Word tells us that it is our God-given responsibility as parents to nurture our children’s spiritual, emotional, and moral growth.
Parenting with Patience and Wisdom
Just as God is a patient father to us, we need to be patient in our parenting. God invites us to come to Him for wisdom, so we don’t need to try to figure it all out on our own. When we seek His help, He enables us to be patient and calm while giving us direction as to how to handle the situation.
Ephesians 6:4 – A Biblical Approach to Discipline
Dealing with difficult behavior can test a parent’s patience, and cause frustration. However, the Bible calls for us to practice gentleness and self-control.
Ephesians 6:4 – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
This reminds us that we need to correct without anger or harshness which can damage the relationship. Instead, we need to be patient, and show God’s grace, teaching by example.
What Does God Say About a Disrespectful Child?
- Proverbs 30:17 – “The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.”
- Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
How to Discipline a Child According to the Bible
- Proverbs 13:24 – “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
- Hebrews 12:11 – “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
How to Deal with a Rebellious Child Biblically
- Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
- Luke 15:20 – The story of the Prodigal Son reminds us of God’s grace, patience, and love even when our children stray.
How to Teach Bible Verses for Children’s Behavior
One of the best things we can do for our kids is help them to memorize God’s Word! When they have God’s Word in their hearts and minds, it will guide them throughout life. When a word or thought comes up, it will bring a Scripture to mind that relates to that, giving them Biblical insight.
Make It Fun With Scripture Songs & Memory Games
One of the easiest ways to help your kids learn Scripture by memory is by singing the verses. When you sing Scripture songs, they stay with you and are in your mind all through the day. A sweet bonus is hearing your kids randomly sing verses they’ve learned.
Make memorization fun with motions, expressions, and pictures. Write the verse on a dry-erase board, erase words one by one, and repeat to reinforce learning. Kids love the challenge of trying to remember it as you erase one word at a time.
Use Real-Life Situations for Application
Every day we have opportunities to teach Bible verses as we apply them to everyday situations.
This could be things like:
- Disobedience
- Sibling Squabbles
- Lying
Instead of getting frustrated, see it as a chance to plant God’s Word in their hearts. This teaches them to turn to His Word for guidance in struggles. We also have the incredible opportunity to teach our kids Godly character through Scripture. Use our popular character curriculum to teach Godly character in a fun and practical way in just 10 minutes a day!
Pray These Verses Over Your Children
Praying Scripture over your children multiplies the power of God’s Word in their lives. Do the work of teaching and training, using God’s Word, and then pray asking God to use His Word to change their heart. While our teaching is a vital part of it, without God’s help our work is in vain. Claim those promises for your kids and pray them back to God.
Conclusion: Training and Correcting Their Hearts with Scripture
Raising children to have God-honoring behavior is about more than just rules—it’s about shaping their hearts with God’s Word. When we use Bible verses for children’s behavior, we give them wisdom and guidance that will last a lifetime. Which verse will you start using today? Let me know in the comments!
Training & Correcting the Heart With Scripture is designed to make it simple for parents to use God’s Word for reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. If you’re tired of scolding and want effective correction that focuses on changing your child’s heart, use Scripture.
The post 15 Bible Verses For Children’s Behavior Struggles appeared first on The Character Corner.
