How can I help my kids become successful in life?

July 18, 2016

Article By: Generations

Daniel Craig: Some people wonder: Is the Word of God really that practical for what we actually have to do today? One of the things that was interesting to me was hearing you talk one time about the Proverbs, one of the things that all the parents I think want for their kids is success in life. They want their kids to get a good job, they want their kids to be able to provide for family. Well, we often convince ourselves that what you really need for that is everything they learn in high school, everything they learn in grade school, or everything they learn in college is what's gonna be needed to be successful in life. But you told a story about the guy who wrote the book, The Millionaire Next Door, and he did a study of a whole bunch of different millionaires asking them what their keys to success were, and what did he...



Kevin Swanson: Well, he looked at 722 millionaires and he asked them, yeah, what are the factors of your success?

Daniel Craig: Thomas Stanley?

Kevin Swanson: Right, Dr. Thomas Stanley. And it was amazing. The people who said, I got PhD in Chemistry, I did straight As throughout college, that turned out number 26 on the list of factors important to the success of American millionaires. But the number one most important factor that millionaire said, "Yeah, this really helped as I engaged in the marketplace." Number one most important factor was, tell the truth. Now, where would you find that? In the book of Proverbs. It's there.

Daniel Craig: Like 122 times.

Kevin Swanson: It's almost every other page in the book of Proverbs, yeah. It's throughout and then secondly, hard work and then thirdly, the third factor that was important was diligence.

Daniel Craig: For these millionaires?

Kevin Swanson: For the millionaires and then the fourth was getting along with others, and the fifth was get a supportive spouse. See, again, amazing. You're gonna find that in Proverbs 31. There, it's very, very clear. Mother shows up on the scene, teaches her young son he's gonna be a king. "This is really important, son. Be sure you get a good wife and her price is far above rubies, and these are her qualifications." This is the wisdom that is essential for life, and it turns out millionaires have figured that one out. But this book is very, very practical and the Word of God ought to be practical.

Daniel Craig: It's actually as practical as math, maybe more.

Kevin Swanson: Way more for the average young person. I had a eight-year-old come up to me in a conference one time and say, "Thank you so much for your Proverbs study guides. It's been so good for our family. I didn't realize the Word of God was so practical and useful. Wow!" Equipping the man of God for every good work including the little eight-year-old men.

About Generations

The vision of Generations (formerly Generations with Vision) is to pass on the faith to the next generation through the biblical family, discipleship, and education. We equip families and churches around the world through our daily radio programs, discipleship resources, the Christian Curriculum Project, and discipleship events and retreats.

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