Kids Rules or Rebellion

I saw it in a thrift store and thought it would be a good teaching moment for those who are raising children or for those who have children in their care (whether it be long term or just visits). 

Let's go through it and see how it lines up to the word of God on how we're to raise children, using a few (of many) examples from scripture. 

* Be Loud  
If they were singing to the Lord, or yelling for help or talking loud because of a noisy area, that might be good but otherwise, no.  Allowing them to be loud teaches them that they need to be heard and they use it as a power play against the parents, raising their voices when they want their way.
Psalm 98:4
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

Ecclesiastes 9:17 
The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

* Play Games
There are some learning games that can help them with learning letters, writing, math, dexterity etc but idle games that are of no benefit (many games are worldly), what use will that be for in training them up in the Lord? ​ Instead, teach them to redeem the time.
Ephesians 5:15-16 
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.


* Use Your Imagination
Some imagination could be good if used in a constructive way to figure out problems or how to get things done but using your imagination, left to the carnal mind for entertainment, can be a dangerous thing. Children need to be taught to control their minds and thoughts for the Lord. 
Genesis 6:5 
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.


*  Sing and Dance
Singing isn't sinful if it's to the Lord (or a joyful noise) and a child might leap for joy over something but that's not dancing. Dancing is moving to music, which is a carnal and fleshly thing to be doing.  (See an example of how dancing ended up in the bible.) 
Psalm 7:17 
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.

Mark 6:22 
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

* Jump on the Bed
This is a common problem children have and many parents (rightfully) instruct them not to.  To allow them to be jumping on beds, couches, chairs, climbing on tables etc is not teaching them to control themselves or to be thankful for material things they're blessed with.  It's a careless and reckless act to be allowing children to do.
Proverbs 25:28 
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

* Be Silly
You might as well say 'be foolish'.  Silliness is a bad character trait to be teaching children because they don't take serious what they should and everything ends up being funny or a joke.  Such traits are built into people long term and hard to get back out. Don't be instilling this into your children.
Titus 2:4 and 6 
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
[6] Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

* Get Dirty
There's no sin in getting dirty if you're working and doing chores or just going about every day life (that's normal) but to purposely make yourself dirty for no reason?  It not only makes more work for mothers that already have a lot of work to do, it could teach children that to be dirty is better than to be clean and let's take that to the spiritual aspect....Christ cleanses us if we repent but most people don't repent because they like their dirty (sinful) life. Yes, Satan can use such mindsets ingrained in people from youth, to form them away from and against the truth of God even in small ways.
James 4:8 
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.


* Have Pillow Fights
Pillow fights are when you take a pillow and whack someone upside the head with it.  Does that sound like something we want to be teaching our children?  Although it may seem no big deal at the time, what about when they pick something else to whack someone upside the head with?  It teaches them to become insensitive to others, be a railer, aggressive and beat on your neighbor. 
1 Corinthians 5:11 
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.


* Use Your Outside Voice Inside
What's an outside voice and an inside voice?  Most parents say that, because when children go outside they run around and yell and inside they have to talk regular.  What does outside have to do with voice volume unless it's noisy (highways nearby etc) vs inside?  Normally, with outside voice comes more than just volume, it's nonsense that doesn't need to be done. 
Proverbs 27:14 
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

Proverbs 7:11 
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house


* Tell Jokes
Laughing isn't sinful and saying something funny isn't sinful but reading books about jokes or making habits of it, form foolish youth that don't take life seriously and focus more on laughter and fun than growing up into sober minded adults. 
Ephesians 5:4 
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

* Color Outside the Lines
Why?  Rebellion.  Flat out rebellion is what they're being taught and this will creep into many areas of their lives, teaching them to push the boundaries of God's Word and man's law, thinking that it's okay and a good thing to do. 
Proverbs 29:15 
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.


* Have Fun
No sin in enjoying things that are good and pure and true but allowing children to find their own way of having fun is asking for a lot of trouble and they normally don't outgrow it.  Most adults have a life time venture in the pursuit of fun which means their walking after the flesh.
Romans 8:5 
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Those are just a few common mindsets people have which forms youth that end up like this....

That picture above is a prime example of churchianity.

*They're loud in their worldly carnal, car shows, carnivals and fleshly festivals.
*They play foolish games as not only children but as adults. 
*They use their imagination to invent more fleshly ways to get people into their buildings. 
*They sing and dance to worldly carnal music that they claim is of Christ
*I don't know if they jump on beds but they get biblically naked and jump in pools and jump in bounce houses and some jump out of airplanes.
*They act silly in their theatrical skits and Facebook posts.
*They get dirty playing mud games and paint fights and they stay in their dirty sins, not repenting. 
*Maybe they don't do pillow fights but big blown up bat fights. 
*They use loud outside voices (holler) at us when we're outside their building trying to call them out of their sins.
*They tell jokes from the stage / pulpit, on their social media and in their daily lives.
*They go outside the lines of God's word in almost all their ways. 
*They're all about having fun, not walking in the truth.

Is that what you want your children to grow up into?  Even if you homeschool them and keep them out of the churches, if you raise foolish, silly minded children who walk after their flesh, they very well could end up like the churchianity that doesn't take the things of God seriously and think this life is nothing more than fun.

Ponder all this and keep a tight reign on your child, not letting them feed their flesh.  Feed them the word of God and keep them inside the lines:-)

Love to you all,
​Sister Aman