Parenting is NOT FOR
WIMPS!!! It is a difficult 24/7 job
that requires sleeping with one eye open, constantly thinking one step ahead of
anything they can imagine and hours on your knees in prayer for wisdom and
guidance. As Christian parents we want
to instill Godly values into their world view and it must start at a very young
age.
We teach them to LOVE; God, their siblings, parents,
friends, the neighbors and those who may look and act differently then seems
normal.
We teach them RESPECT; respect for themselves, their
siblings, friends, parents, neighbors, teachers, and others in authority.
We teach them BOUNDARIES; boundaries of personal property, boundaries of displays
of affection, boundaries of displays of anger and other emotions; boundaries of
language and boundaries of appropriate behaviors.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Don’t forget the TEN
COMMANDMENTS…There is only ONE GOD;
we shall not make IDOLS or WORSHIP
any object other than the ONE GOD;
we don’t SWEAR and use the Name of
God disrespectfully; we should SET TIME
ASIDE TO REST and meditate on the goodness of God; RESPECT AND HONOR OUR PARENTS; we SHOULD NOT KILL, CHEAT ON OUR SPOUSE, STEAL, OR LIE; finally, we SHOULD NOT ALLOW JEALOUSY of others to
rule our life. An excellent basis to
establish the character of our children and if we can successfully plant these
lessons into their lives, we are off to a very good start.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Of course our BIGGEST
CHALLENGE is to not only TEACH
these lessons but to LIVE the
lessons, each and every day in front of our children’s eyes and ears. Children who are raised in a God-centered
home, hear Dad and Mom pray, give God glory and read His Word are much more
likely to embrace the Precious Promises contained in the Word and enter into a
personal relationship of their own with God.
Children are “expert mimics.” If you
are ever unsure what lessons your young children are learning, secretly observe
them at play. You will be surprised to
hear your words and see clear evidence of your actions as they interact with
their siblings, stuffed animals and dolls.
YOU are your child’s most
important ROLE MODEL and regardless
if it is the role you desired you are partly responsible for their behavior
throughout their lives.
BE A ROLE MODEL
Speaking of ROLE
MODELS and the TEN COMMANDMENTS,
exampling them is the ONLY way to
solidify those values into your child’s heart.
You can communicate these most important commands by allowing your child
to see you living them and NEVER
allowing them to be violated in your life or that of your child’s. If the
clerk gives you too much change or doesn’t charge you for the extra gallon of
milk; return the money and pay for the milk…It is NOT a blessing from the Lord and pretending as if no one will
notice is STEALING AND LYING!!! By
the way someone IS noticing…That precious
little boy or girl standing by your side not only NOTICED but just LEARNED A
VALUABLE LESSON. Did they learn HONESTY or “you can get by with stealing,
lying and cheating, as long as no one knows!”
LYING; there is
probably not one Parent and certainly not a Born-Again Parent that would ever
admit that they
LIE REGULARLY to
their Children. But there is
ONE LIE that
I have observed Christian Parents tell their children over and over…
THE BIG LIE IS THAT GOD LOVES THEM SO MUCH THAT THEIR SINFUL BEHAVIORS AND LIFESTYLE DOES NOT MATTER!!!
I have heard Christian Parents tell their “wayward” child, that
since they were baptized and Spirit-filled as a child that “it’s” still in there somewhere and God loves them and they are
still His child regardless of the things they are involved in because NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE OF GOD!!! There is just enough TRUTH contained in this statement to be
DANGEROUS and didn’t we learn that a
“HALF-TRUTH” is really a LIE IN DISGUISE?
TRUTH: God loves them…. REST OF THE TRUTH: God’s
love is unconditional but SALVATION is conditioned on our FAITH and OBEDIENCE.
TRUTH: Once we have accepted the SALVATION offered
by Jesus’ sacrifice, God will NEVER take it back…REST OF THE TRUTH: We can
WALK AWAY from SALVATION; trample on the sacrifice, “crucify Christ afresh” and
neglect this GREAT SALVATION.
TRUTH: UNREPENTED SIN will send you to HELL…REST OF THE TRUTH: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
PLEASE, do not be
guilty of telling the BIG LIE to
your children by TELLING THEM A
HALF-TRUTH!!! Their eternity may
depend on YOUR HONESTY!!! The MESS
your child is dealing with right now may be a result of their sinful choices
and behaviors, DON’T COMPOUND the
problem by telling them the BIG LIE!!! What a tragedy to find that you are ENABLING your child’s journey to Hell
because of your own DISHONESTY REGARDING THEIR SIN!
TELL THEM THE TRUTH!
God does NOT IGNORE
sin and a lifestyle of sin will result in an eternity separated from God.
God loves them and there is no sin that He will not forgive,
if they will ask His forgiveness in TRUE
REPENTANCE!
The act of TRUE
REPENTANCE involves TURNING AWAY
from sin, FOLLOWING AFTER God and
allowing His Grace and the Power of the Holy Ghost to help you live an OVERCOMING LIFE.
PRAY for them and
with them. Don’t be afraid or hesitant
to WALK THE RETURN JOURNEY with
them. Most importantly, SEARCH YOUR OWN HEART and REPENT.
OUR CHILDREN ARE EXPERTS MIMICS!
