Have you ever heard the expression that “Dad’s word is law”? If you have, you may not have realized that you were hearing Scripture. Proverbs 1:8 says, “My son, hear the instruction of thy father; and forsake not the LAW of thy mother (emphasis mine).“ The Bible here clearly states that it is the mother who “lays down the law” in her home. Now, I am not advocating that if a father makes a rule a mother may overrule him and use this verse as her authority. What I am saying is that it is a mother’s responsiblity and privilege to determine the law in her home.
What is the law? The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible states that the Hebrew word for law means “statute” or “precept” and that it specifically implies the Pentateuch (The commandments given in the first five books of the Bible). Just as God had the authority and right to lay down rules for His people, he has given a mother the right to lay down rules for her children. This is not only a right and privilege, it is a responsibility. The Bible instructs us to raise our children in the “nurture” and “admonition” of the Lord. We, as mothers, must set rules for our children that will not only cause them to be pleasant, productive members of society, but also faithful servants of God. The guideline for mothers to set the laws of the household was put in place because, when it was written, it was taken for granted that the mother would be the one home with her children.
Sometimes we can be tempted to use our husbands as an excuse for lagging in this responsibility. I understand that raising and disciplining children is far easier when the husband is not only supportive, but also a strong participant in the process. After all, he is given the obligation of “instructing” his children in the ways of God. However, you, as the mother, are the rule-setter in your house. You decide what is appropriate behavior and what is not. You decide what consequences will arise if your child breaks a rule. Discuss the rules you feel are important with your husband and stick together when enforcing them.
So, the next time your child complains about a rule you have set, you may accurately and biblically respond, “My word is law.”
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