“Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4b
I believe the last three words of Ephesians 6:4 are the true key to godly parenting. This is what separates Christian parents from every other parent in the world. All parents should bring their children up to be generally moral, kind, respectful, courteous, and obedient of the law. That should be a given. For most parents, that is the ceiling; but for Christian parents that is the floor.
Christians should not be satisfied with raising “good children.” For Christian parents our supreme task and greatest hope for our children is that they know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This responsibility of bringing our children up in the training and instruction of the Lord is not primarily the job of a Christian school or of the church we attend. It is the essential and primary job of the parents. Ultimately, the greatest influence in our children’s lives should not be a teacher, the church staff, or a coach. The greatest influence should be the parents.
You should be the spiritual leader of your children. The greatest desire, goal, ambition, and hunger of a true godly parent is to raise godly children. It takes godly parents to raise godly children; and it takes God to make a godly parent. There are so many things we want to do for our children. But the two most important things we will ever do is to live a godly life before them, and lead them to live a godly life.
You may not be able to give your children the nicest home, the finest home, or the biggest home, but you can make sure they grow up in a godly home. Nothing else in the world is more valuable than that.
Dear Father, I want to give my kids a home they feel safe in. I want them to grow up in a godly home. Please help me to do the work to be able to give my kids these things so that they are prepared to live a godly life. In Jesus' name, amen.
Topics: Parenting
