Picture this scenario.  A dad is to speaking to his son on the day he is leaving to go off to college trying to give last minute words of wisdom.  The son is finishing up packing items into the car and making sure he is set to head out. The dad finishes his words of wisdom, tears are wiped away, dad and son hug and the son gets into the car and drives off. As the son drives off the dad thinks to himself, “Did he hear me?”  “Will he take my advice?” “Did I tell him all that I needed to?”

Now think about your own life (whether your kids are 2 or 12 or other). Do your kids listen to you? What do you do about it if they don’t? Is there any hope that they will listen? Will they remember your words and do them?

Proverbs 4:1 states, Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,

The word hear in the beginning of this verse is a verb that is an imperative call to hear, to listen, and to obey. It is a call for a son to heed the words of his father by listening to them with attentiveness so that insight into how to live can be gained.

It goes on to say in verses 2-4 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

 This pattern of listening and passing on life teaching is one that occurs father to son, father to son and so on generation after generation. In this pattern we see:

• that there is an expectation that a father is to teach his children,
• that a father is to expect his children to pay attention and listen to him,
• that the children themselves are to listen attentively, and
• that children are not to forsake their father’s teaching but instead are to hold fast to them and keep them.

The result of this pattern is that wisdom and insight are gained for right living.

What about moms?

Proverbs 1:8 says Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.

This verse along with others in proverbs clearly indicate that mothers are to be teaching their children and that the children are to listen attentively to them as well.

In our day and time with so much communication that occurs apart from personal interaction with others (email, text, phone call, Instagram, etc) and less time is actually spent talking with someone face to face, the life skill of listening has diminished. A person’s ability to listen, to truly actively listen, has suffered greatly. The suffering of the skill of listening should not be one that we tolerate. Instead, we personally as parents should model listening and we should also expect it from our children.

In our home we have been using Proverbs 4:1and 1:8 with our children and expecting them to listen and pay attention. We have had them memorize these verses and we quote them to them often. When they were younger (and really even now sometimes) I used hand motions to the ear for “listening” and 2 fingers pointed to my eyes and then their eyes for “pay attention.” Courtney and I have tried to be consistent in expecting them to listen and pay attention so that they might gain understanding.

Do you expect your children to listen to you? Are you expecting them to listen and actually holding them accountable for this action? Are you saying things that are worthy listening to?

As you seek to impart a Godly legacy to your children it is vital that you are giving them words of wisdom from God’s Word and that you are expecting them to listen to you.  By God’s grace they will gain the insight they need for this life and for all eternity.

Let’s turn the question another direction. Are you listening to your heavenly Father as He has revealed Himself in the Bible, His Word?

Proverbs 2:6 says For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

God has spoken to us clearly in His Word and teaches us things that we are to listen to attentively and are not to forsake. A reading of Psalm 119 reminds us of the need to listen to God’s word and to hold fast to it and not forsake obeying it.

Will you continue this pattern of teaching and listening from your Heavenly Father with your children trusting that one day they will listen to Him and pass on this same pattern to their children and for generations to come?