Tell your child to do something. How does he respond? “Why?” “Kay”? “Uh-huh”? A silent nod?

There’s a reason we need to teach our children to say “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am.” It is a matter of government.

“Yes, sir” may seem quaint in a world raucous with youths disrespecting their elders. That’s simply all the more reason not to compromise.

We need to instill this habit in our children when they are very young, first learning to talk. As the child-rearing book says, “When asking a child a question, such as, ‘Did you have a good time today?’ if the child says, ‘Y-e-e-e-es’—then you should say: ‘Say, “Yes, sir!”’ and have your child repeat this a few times. As a result of diligent teaching in each instance, within just a very few days, or, at the most, a few weeks—you will have instilled in your child a habit which will last through the remainder of his natural life.”

Satan’s first and most vicious attack is against government. He has flipped society upside down: Children rule; parents follow. If we don’t forcibly resist this diabolical influence, it will seep into our homes. Particularly through our children.

Ungovernable young people are miserable. The difference is stark between a child who feels he is above or even equal to his parents and the child who has a strong sense of being under their authority. The first child has a battle in his spirit; he is unsettled, edgy, unteachable. The second child is refreshingly sincere; he is happy; he has an underlying contentment and peace.

“Yes, sir” is a simple, effective way of regularly reinforcing in both a child’s mind and yours that everyone is happiest when they accept their God-given place in the family order.

It is easy for a child to slip out of this habit. That “forgetting” could be a sign—probably subconscious—of the child wanting to look upon his parents as equals and to address them as they might address each other. The child-rearing book says to spank as a reminder, as positive teaching, to get the child back into the good habit right away.

The Bible has some very good “yes, sir” examples of children toward parents. None excels that of Jesus Christ.

Not only did He live in happy submission to His physical parents, He also demonstrated perfect subjection to His heavenly Father. “[W]hatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak,” He said. “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. … I do always those things that please him. … [W]hat things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. … I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. … My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 12:50; 8:28-29; 5:19, 30; 4:34).

The harder it is to imagine our children saying anything like that, the more consideration we should probably dedicate to improving our child rearing in this area.

Pastor General Gerald Flurry has called Christ’s physical life “a masterpiece of submission.” Note how Paul expressed it in Philippians 2:8: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the [stake].” Note what this tells you about a child’s rightful place within God’s family government.

This verse says that, being a man, Jesus Christ put Himself in a lowly state under His Father’s authority. There was not even a microparticle of vanity, arrogance or self-exaltation in Him. He was wholly, perfectly, purely focused on fulfilling His Father’s will.

It says He became obedient. Though Jesus was always perfectly submitted to the Most High God, even throughout His eternal history as the Word, He took this to a new level when He experienced life in the flesh. As Hebrews 5:8 says, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.”

The word obedient both in Philippians 2:8 and Hebrews 5:8 is very interesting. The Greek, hupekoos, is a combination of hupo—meaning under, beneath, below, of inferior position or condition—and akouo, which means to hear, give audience, understand. Hupekoos, then, means to listen attentively as an expression of subjection; to put oneself under authority by listening.

What a beautiful description of the consummate childlike attitude! Jesus Christ locked in on His Father’s instructions. His perfect obedience was a measure of His submissive attention to every detail.

That is the attitude God wants from all of His people. The best way He can achieve that is within the life of a child who grows up in a godly family and is trained in that attitude from the start.

Granted, our children don’t have the Holy Spirit, let alone having it without measure as Jesus did. Nevertheless, the command remains: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). Obey there is hupakouo, a variant of the same word in Philippians 2:8.

We are preparing our children for the God Family. We must train and teach them in being attentively under our authority—listening and doing as they’re told. As they grow, our goal is that they follow Christ’s example and transfer that attitude of obedience toward their heavenly Father.

It’s a tall order. But getting them in the habit of responding to our requests with a quick and cheerful “Yes, sir” is sure to help.