Godly Parenting

“And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise”. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Our dear friends recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He’s the first baby in our circles in a few years and we are all rejoicing along with the beyond elated new mom and dad. Every time I see a baby the first thought that goes through my head and sometimes flows out in words is  – They are so tiny!!!

New parents quickly realize how physically helpless and needy a baby is. Rocking them to sleep, wiping them down every couple of hours, feeding every three hours, pacifying them through rhythmic bouncy moves, so on and so forth. Instinct and advise from those who’ve gone before them equip the parents to somehow make it through the first few months. But they are happy to endure through it all because the intensity of love they feel in unlike anything else they have ever experienced. They’d lasso the moon just to hear a little giggle.

Then comes the toddler years and parents put on the safety patrol hats. Suddenly every corner in your home is a potential threat. You realize beds are made too high, you should have bought a round dining table instead of the four cornered weapon you chose, and who in their right mind decided to put fire in a box and place it in the family room. Everything is threatening to physically harm your child. Parents learn early on that children are physically vulnerable and need to be protected.

As school years approach, the need to drill foundational math, wonderful concepts of science and grammatical eloquence seem essential. After all we need to set them up for success. They need to compete with those around them. We dream for them good futures, great careers and prosperity.

What we can easily miss in these early years of hyper vigilance is that what affects our children the most is what enters their hearts and minds. The truth is your child can enter eternity without a single toy, a stitched up forehead, and with no savings account.

The Bible reminds us that the most important investment a parent will ever make is in the spiritual journey of their child. Carrying our children to Jesus (Mark 10 v 13), training them in the ways of the Lord (Proverbs 22 v 6), bringing them up with discipline and instruction (Ephesians 6 v 4), expecting obedience (Colossians 3 v 20), modeling a life of prayer and thanksgiving (Philippians 4 v 6) and the list goes on.

The good news is that everything you need as a parent is in the Word of God. Let the best Father, lead you and guide you in your parenting. Whether you are just starting this journey as our dear friends are, or you have been at it for 30 yrs, never stop bringing your children to Jesus and when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise, never cease to carry the gospel to their hearts.