Series Details
What do you spend most of your time doing? Ask a wide range of people, and two answers would inevitably rise to the surface: parenting and working. With so much time and energy devoted to these two areas, we need to take extra care to think well about what it means to be a good parent and how we can best serve as a good worker. These six messages from Chuck Swindoll take us to the heart of life as a parent and as a worker. Addressing issues such as shaping the wills of our children, seeking forgiveness from kids when we’ve failed them, and infusing our work with wisdom, this series will prove to be a vital help on the journey toward making all our moments count for Christ.
Just as a building requires a strong foundation to withstand the assault of time, a family must be firmly anchored in God’s Word to endure the pressures of the world. In this seven-part series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll provides essential biblical strategies for reinforcing the home, strengthening marriages, and raising confident children and grandchildren.
Message 1: Shaping the Will with Wisdom
Sermon Overview Parenting requires immense wisdom and discernment, especially in a modern, politically correct society that often mislabels all forms of discipline as abuse. Charles R. Swindoll turns to the Book of Proverbs to provide a biblical blueprint for parenting, emphasizing the critical difference between crushing a child’s spirit and appropriately shaping their will. Abuse is driven by anger and frustration, leaving degrading and demoralizing scars; in contrast, appropriate discipline is restrained, fair, and motivated by love to cultivate a child’s inner restraints and security. The message provides four practical suggestions for parents: start early, stay balanced by combining verbal reproof with physical discipline, remain consistent, and stay reasonable by distinguishing between normal childish behavior and deliberate defiance. Ultimately, the primary goal of parenting is to release a responsible, Christ-honoring young adult into the world.
Key Facts
• Defining Defiance: Parents must learn to distinguish between innocent childish mistakes (like spilling milk or putting bugs in pockets) and true defiance, which is the deliberate and stubborn resistance to obey.
• Abuse vs. Discipline: Abuse is unfair, extreme, and crushes a child’s spirit, whereas biblical discipline is fair, expected, and upholds the dignity of the child.
• Start Early: Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, and parents must intervene early in life to develop habits of self-control before the child faces severe adult consequences.
• The Power of Balance: Discipline should never be administered without accompanying verbal instruction (reproof) and enormous expressions of love and affirmation.
Scripture References
• Proverbs 3:11–12; 13:24; 15:4, 13; 17:22, 25; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13; 29:15, 17
• Hebrews 12:5–11
• Ephesians 6:4
——————————————————————————–
Message 2: Suggestions for Parenting Grown-Up Kids
Sermon Overview The challenges of parenting do not end when children reach adulthood; they simply change. Applying the principles of Ephesians 4 to the home, Swindoll outlines how to navigate relationships with grown-up kids by understanding core relational essentials: no family challenge is impossible, parents always remain worthy of respect, and no issue should be handled through fleshly reactions or manipulation. Swindoll extracts six two-word directives for parenting adult children: speak truth, be passionate, stop stealing, quit yelling, give grace, and be kind. By following these principles, parents can foster an environment of independent thinking and mutual forgiveness, ultimately cultivating a deep, lasting friendship with their adult children.
Key Facts
• Stop Stealing Independence: Parents “steal” from their adult children when they continue doing things the children should do for themselves, or when they rescue them from the painful consequences of their own bad decisions.
• Be Passionate, Not Passive: Parents must not passively shrug at wrongdoing; they are commanded to be angry at appropriate times, displaying a controlled, righteous indignation toward things that matter.
• Give Grace for Failures: When adult children make poor choices, parents should not respond with shaming, “I told you so” lectures, but rather offer the same grace and understanding they themselves need.
• The Power of Kindness: True kindness in a family involves maintaining a tender heart, putting away bitterness, and being willing to ask for and grant forgiveness.
Scripture References
• Ephesians 4:25–32
——————————————————————————–
Message 3: What to Do When You’ve Blown It
Sermon Overview Many parents look back on their child-rearing years and feel as though they are drowning in an ocean of guilt, shame, and regret over their mistakes. Addressing parents who have “blown it,” Swindoll offers a message of profound hope and practical recovery. He begins by acknowledging the painful reality that all humans are imperfect and personally responsible for their own wrongs. However, rather than driving their lives by staring into the rearview mirror of the past, parents must press on toward the future. Using Isaiah 58 and Joel 2, Swindoll outlines a step-by-step process for reconciliation: humble yourself, pray for the right timing, stop all pointing of fingers, and make yourself completely available and vulnerable to your children by confessing your wrongs without any excuses.
Key Facts
• A Future and a Hope: God’s plans for failing parents are not for calamity, but to provide a future and a hope.
• Restoring the Eaten Years: Just as God promised to restore the crops decimated by swarming locusts in Joel’s day, He can miraculously restore relationships devastated by years of parental failure.
• Humble Vulnerability: Rebuilding a fractured relationship requires the parent to meet privately with their adult child, confess their specific wrongs, and take full responsibility without shifting the blame.
• Trust the Process: Parents must not hide their failures, nor should they hurry the process of reconciliation; they must simply apologize, let go of the past, and trust God to bring healing.
Scripture References
• Isaiah 58:6–12
• Joel 2:21–27
• Jeremiah 29:11–12
• Romans 3:23
• Philippians 3:13
——————————————————————————–
Message 4: Wise Words for Busy People
Sermon Overview In the first half of Ecclesiastes, Solomon records his maddening, cynical pursuit of satisfaction “under the sun,” which only resulted in his absolute hatred of life. However, the second half of his journal reveals a man who has finally “come home” and discovered the immense value of God’s wisdom. Swindoll walks through chapter 7, unpacking several “comparative proverbs” that highlight what is truly better in life. Solomon teaches that a good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and that a funeral teaches us far more about reality than a party does. Ultimately, God’s wisdom preserves our lives from human pitfalls and provides us with a divine perspective, helping us trust God’s sovereignty over both prosperity and adversity.
Key Facts
• The Value of Mourning: Spending time in a house of mourning is better than a house of feasting because the reality of death instantly clarifies our priorities and strips away superficiality.
• Listening to Rebuke: It is far better to listen to the hard, truthful rebuke of a wise person than to be entertained by the empty, fleeting song of a fool.
• Patience Over Pride: A patient spirit is superior to a haughty spirit; wisdom teaches us to stand still and wait on God rather than blowing off steam in anger.
• Accepting God’s Plan: We must consider the work of God and accept what He has designed, recognizing that we cannot straighten what He has bent.
Scripture References
• Ecclesiastes 7:1–14
• Ecclesiastes 2:17–18
• Proverbs 13:1, 10; 14:10, 13; 15:16–17; 25:24
• Philippians 1:23–24
——————————————————————————–
Message 5: Putting Wisdom to Work
Sermon Overview Wisdom is not an abstract, academic concept; it is the practical, God-given ability to see life objectively and handle it with stability. Continuing in Ecclesiastes 7, Swindoll explores how wisdom works its way out into our daily experiences. God holds our entire lives—our failures, futures, and surprises—in the palms of His hands. Operating from this secure position, wisdom grants us the balance to avoid being “excessively righteous” or “excessively wicked,” the strength to handle life’s painful tensions without gullibility, and the insight to realize that our deepest problems lie within ourselves, not with God.
Key Facts
• Inscribed on His Hands: Even when we feel forsaken, God reminds us in Isaiah 49 that He will never forget us, having permanently inscribed our lives and circumstances on the palms of His hands.
• Avoiding Extremes: True wisdom gives a believer balance, keeping them from the obnoxious extreme of being pretentiously “overly wise” and the dangerous extreme of foolish wickedness.
• Strength Against Criticism: A wise person does not take every word spoken seriously; they have the strength to filter out empty flattery and to handle harsh criticism, knowing that if people knew the whole truth about them, the criticism would be much worse.
• The Illusion of Intimacy: Solomon’s search for meaning in extramarital, seductive relationships proved more bitter than death; alien intimacy arrests the beautiful, mutual discovery God designed exclusively for marriage.
Scripture References
• Ecclesiastes 7:15–29
• Ecclesiastes 2:24–26
• Isaiah 49:14–16
——————————————————————————–
Message 6: The Qualities of a Good Boss
Sermon Overview Ecclesiastes 8 provides an unexpected but highly relevant portrait of what it means to be a good and wise boss. Whether you are a corporate executive, an entrepreneur, a manager, or a parent, this message applies to anyone in a position of authority. Swindoll identifies five primary characteristics of excellent leadership from the text: a clear mind that understands the overarching “why” of the organization, a cheerful disposition that trades a stern face for a beaming one, a discreet mouth that utilizes tact, a keen judgment that navigates timing and procedure under pressure, and a humble spirit that recognizes its own finite limitations.
Key Facts
• Knowing the Interpretation: An effective leader doesn’t necessarily need to know every microscopic detail of an operation, but they must have a clear mind that understands the ultimate vision, direction, and the “why” behind it.
• A Cheerful Disposition: The wisdom of a good boss physically illuminates their face; a stern, unsmiling, hard-charging demeanor infects an organization with negativity, whereas a cheerful spirit brings life and joy to the workplace.
• A Discreet Mouth: A leader’s tongue dictates the tone of their environment; practicing tact and avoiding careless or cutting words encourages deep loyalty from employees.
• The Power of Modeling: Leaders must remember that their personal example and character will long outlive their actual corporate achievements; they are actively cycling and training the next generation of leaders.
Scripture References
• Ecclesiastes 8:1–9
