How to Raise Wise, Godly Children Training Your Child to Obey Dealing with Rebellion Training in Righteousness Aiming for the Heart

Love is not inflated with its own importance (13:4e) The Greek word here (phusioo) comes from a word that was used to refer to a pair of bellows. This becomes a colorful and vivid metaphor for becoming blown up with self-importance like the frog in Aesop’s fables. (Thiselton p. 355) Here Paul contrasts love which involves respect and concern for the welfare of others with an inordinate desire for status and recognition. How much behavior among believers and even ministers is actually “attention seeking” designed to impress others with one’s own supposed importance? (Thiselton p.1049)

Love is not inflated with its own importance (13:4e) How does this apply to our kids? Teach your kids that: It’s easy for us to think that the things that we’re good at are important, but that things others are good at aren’t. We need to teach them that all the gifts are needed - There are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. (1Cor. 12:20-21) Even if you’re the best player on the team, don’t be a ball hog. The world doesn’t revolve around them.

Love does not behave with ill-mannered impropriety (13:5a) The verb used here appears only in one other place in the NT: If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed (1 Cor.7:36) The adjectival form of this word appears only in 1 Corinthians 12:23 where Paul alludes to “unpresentable” parts of the body, i.e. , those which good taste and public decorum expect to be clothed. In all three contexts there is a contrast between courtesy, good taste, and good public manners on one hand and self gratification regardless of appropriate behavior and decorum on the other. In other words, “love does not act in ways that are contrary to the requirements of propriety and good order” (Thiselton quoting J. Hering, p.1049).

Love does not behave with ill-mannered impropriety (13:5a) How does this apply to our kids? We need to teach our kids that decorum changes with time, but as Christians we don’t want to be on the leading edge of cultural weirdness. As parents we need to be aware of when our kids are acting with impropriety and take action if we see them: Behaving in a way that others might find rude or annoying Showing disrespect for others or their property