You're so lucky!

"Your children are so well behaved.  You're so lucky!"  I hear this every once in a while from people observing our children.  I'm thankful for the complement that is being shared and it is very encouraging.  However, my children being well behaved has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with the grace of God. 
It's by God's mercy that I was raised by parents who disciplined me and had expectations that I would discipline myself.  It's by God's Word that I understand that children are not tabula rasas, i.e. blank slates, but they are born sinners and good behavior is an unnatural state of affairs for them.  It's by God's grace that He saved my wife and myself and has given us a biblical understanding of multi-generational faithfulness.  Lastly, it's by God's grace that the cummulative effect of all this mercy and understanding is the knowledge that our children must be raised so that they understand when they disobey or are disrespectful to Amy and myself, they are sinning against God and breaking His requirements and claims on their lives.

If you are a follower of Christ and are married mark this passage of Scripture.
"Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring." -Malachi 2:15 
God has made you one in your marriage and has given you a portion of the Spirit in your marriage and He expects something in return.  Godly offspring. 

Well behaved children are not the product of their natural personalities.  It's really rather the opposite.  Well behaved children are the product of parents encouraging the Imago Dei that every human being possesses and punishing the fallen nature they are all enslaved to.  It's simple really and it's a biblical principle.  Reward the good and punish the bad.