Bible Study Seattle

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them.” Ephesians 6:4

“Fathers” can also be translated “parents”. Another word for provoke could be exasperate. There are many ways to exasperate children, but some of the less obvious are too many rules and excessive carrots and sticks. This makes behavior dependent on the carrots and devalues the relationship. Children will act up when they’re constantly jerked around this way.