Praying Proverbs Over Your Child: Week 7

Welcome to our Summer 2025 Book Club-Style Bible Study! This summer, we’ll be walking through Hey Mama! Pray: Praying Proverbs Over Your Child—a powerful, prayerful guide for parents seeking to raise their children in the wisdom and love of Jesus.

Join us every Tuesday morning, June 3 – July 29, at 9:00 AM right here on the blog. Can’t make it then? No worries—jump in whenever it works for you! 

Get your copy of the book on Amazon or download the printable version from Etsy.

Why this study matters:
Praying Proverbs over your child is more than a devotional practice—it’s a powerful parenting tool. As Christian parents, we’ve been entrusted with the sacred responsibility of guiding our children to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ.

That calling comes with challenges, especially in a world full of distractions and opposing voices. But we’re not alone. God, in His great wisdom, has given us the book of Proverbs—a rich source of truth, character-building guidance, and daily encouragement.

Let’s lean into His Word together this summer and cover our children in Scripture-rooted prayer.

"The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother....Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart." Proverbs 29:15, 17

Why Proverbs?
While there are countless parenting books out there, none compare to the timeless, wisdom-packed truths found in the book of Proverbs. This divinely inspired book serves as God’s blueprint for raising children who grow into wise, godly adults. When we read, study, teach—and most importantly, pray—the truths of Proverbs over our children, we invite God’s Word to shape their hearts and minds from the inside out.

Proverbs offers practical instruction on essential character traits like honesty, diligence, kindness, self-control, humility, and a reverent fear of the Lord. It highlights the value of wisdom and the dangers of foolishness, equipping our children with the discernment they need to navigate the challenges of life with grace and strength.

Let’s commit to this journey together, friend—because there is no greater gift we can give our children than the life-shaping power of prayer and God’s Word.

As we pray through Proverbs over our children this summer, we’ll journey through an A-to-Z list of important life topics—from dealing with fear to developing a strong work ethic. Each week, we’ll focus on a few key issues, along with supporting Scripture to guide our prayers. Let’s get started and invite God to do a powerful work in our children’s hearts!

QUIETNESS, REBELLION, and RESPECT

QUIETNESS 
You know… sometimes it’s just good to keep your mouth shut! But wow, that can be so hard to do!
 
Proverbs 10:19 tells us that “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
 
I want to be prudent. I want my kiddos to be prudent. Too much talk can get us into a lot of trouble. Being quiet at the right moments can be a game-changer.
 
Have you ever had someone ask you to keep a secret? Of course, you have. I have too. Proverbs 12:23 says, “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.”
 
Again, Proverbs is talking about being prudent and keeping quiet—not spilling that secret all over town!
 
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Prov. 13:3
 
I want my children to be discreet and quiet when it’s time to be those things. I want them to know how to guard their mouth and preserve their life.
 
I don’t want to be one who opens their lips wide and comes to ruin, and I don’t want that for my children either!
 
“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.” Proverbs 15:2
 
The book of Proverbs is jammed packed with Scripture related to our words, guarding our mouths, and being wise.
 
Let’s pray today mama that we, and our children, will know and understand the power our words and mouths hold and be wise about being quiet at the right times.


REBELLION
If you are dealing with a rebellious teenager today, be patient and kind! Stick to the plan! Be consistent! Don’t’ give in and don’t give up! “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)! I was that teenager one day, maybe you were too. I had a strong mama behind me that believed I could be what God called me to be, even though everything I did put me on a course like Jonah—running from God. She was patient and kind when patient and kind was difficult. She stuck to her plan which was God’s plan. She was consistent in the things God called her to be and do. She didn’t give up on me, and she never gave in! But most of all, I knew that she prayed without ceasing for this rebellious soul!
 
“He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” Prov. 29:1
 
I recently saw a mural on a building that read, “If all you can be is kind, be kind.” I tell you today, “If all you can do is pray, pray!” Sometimes, we feel that is all we can do, and sometimes, that is all God wants us to do. He wants to handle the problem in His time and His way. PRAY!
 
RESPECT
Respect for parents, and those in authority, should be taught at a very young age. Proverbs 20:20 says, “If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.” Respect is serious business to God!
 
Our kiddos learn respect from us. They see how we respect others, like the leaders in our life. How do you show respect for a political leader you didn’t vote into office? You pray for them! We may not respect the person’s character or actions, but we certainly should respect that office they hold. This goes for our pastors as well. We may not agree with every sermon point or decision, but we respect the position they hold as a pastor, and if we don’t, our children see it! Today mama, pray your children learn to respect others.

​A Prayer for Quietness, Rebellion, and Respect in the Heart of my Child

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the incredible gift of parenting. I come before You today, lifting up the heart of my child—asking You to shape it according to Your wisdom and truth.

Lord, teach my child the beauty and strength of quietness. Your Word says, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent” (Proverbs 10:19). In a world full of noise, help my child know when to speak and when to stay silent. May their words be seasoned with wisdom and grace, not foolishness or haste. Guard their tongue, Lord, and help them understand the power of words—to build up or tear down. Make them wise and discerning in speech.

I also bring before You any spirit of rebellion that may rise within them. Father, when they resist correction, remind them gently of the consequences of a stiffened neck (Proverbs 29:1). Just as You pursued Jonah, I trust You will pursue my child if they stray. Help me, Lord, to remain steadfast—loving, patient, kind, and prayerful, even when obedience feels far off. Let them know I will never stop interceding for their heart to return fully to You.

And Lord, I pray for a spirit of respect to grow deep within them. May they honor and esteem their parents, teachers, leaders, and others in authority—not because they are perfect, but because You call us to a life of reverence and order. Proverbs 20:20 warns of the danger in dishonoring one’s parents. Let my child choose honor and blessing. Help me model respectful behavior in my own life—toward others, leaders, and especially toward You.

Shape my child to be a reflection of Jesus—humble, obedient, respectful, and wise. I trust You are doing a good work in their heart, even when I can’t yet see the fruit.
​
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

​Are we modeling the quiet strength, respectful attitude, and steadfast prayer life we hope to see developed in our children—or are we expecting from them what we’ve yet to fully surrender to God ourselves?

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