Parenthood is very exciting. Seeing your own child born is one of the most electrifying things in life. It's hard for us to explain.
When my first son, Gold, was born I was right beside my wife all through the labour. Initially I felt guilty for putting her through such a life threatening ordeal. I will spare you the details.
But the spellbinding amazement when the tiny thing finally came out and the midwife cleaned him and handed him over to me, to welcome him with sweet godly words and bless him as biblical tradition shows, I was speechles at first.
Finding words to speak was hard without an inspiration. Every tiny bit of that little, perfect and glorious baby was lifegiving, inspiring and peace-inducing. My world changed within minutes and I didn't know neither who he was nor who I was.
I lacked words to thank Gloria. I told her this is your son, as if I needed to give him to her as a gift. He was already hers. She carried him for 9 months and laboured for half a day without much of my effort.
As the days and months go by, as he display features that were ours, the first day he sat, the first day he walked, through his first birthday, his first day in school and till got through high school, that excitement never faded. It took diffferent shapes, depending on the season of his life but your child is your celebrity. And his parents are his first fans.
Parents are the first stakeholders in a child's life. His growth and welfare is their priority. How he prepares to take on life, fit into society and overcome the so many challenges of this fragile world is their anxiety.
Teenage is probably the most risky of all. It is when a child wants to find out on his own if what you taught him is correct. Hence, he or she delves into the opposite direction to try foolishness and see if she is that harmful.
As if that's not enough, he has an army of peers or friends who are equally confused, some claiming to be experts on what the have no idea, trying hard to influence your previous child. The thirst for fun and the temptation to go liberal never has been so strong!
Parents worry always about the safety and welfare of their kids in this life. Therefore, they spend and give up as much as they have or can afford to secure what they consider important for their little prince.
They spend huge amount of money or the best they can for those who don't have. Health care, Education, security, happiness, good food, good clothing and so on goes the scale of preference. As the children graduate from crèche, to Kindergarten, to Nursery, through primary school, then high school and university, parents monitor the progress. Some are satisfied, others at least grateful while others are anxious when the performance of their kids is gloomy.
Every parent wants to leave an impression on the mind of their kid. It could be good healthcare, solid education, wealth and assets, business connections, political platform, a family business, a generational career or a long standing occupation. Parents are always proud of what they left behind for children.
However, for Christian parents, if all you leave behind is the treasure of this life that will rot and rust will destroy, then you left only vanity. Jesus said, in Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
As much as it is important to give their kids the best of this life and make life easier for them, it is even more important for them to bring their kids to the Lord.
We know very well that everything this world can give is chaff and ashes. Only what the Lord can give will last. Therefore, giving them God is the greatest thing we could ever do for them.
It's amazing that pastors, ministers of God, church leaders and people considered very spiritual go through extraordinary commitment and sacrifice to bring others to Christ and ignore their kids. No wonder some among their kids turn out contrary.
A Christian's primary ministry is his household. God said he was pleased with Abraham because he was not only walking with God, but he was going to teach his kids and his household to do the same. Genesis 18:19
Joshua was very conscious of this primary ministry when he stood before Israel to declare:
Joshua 24:14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua looked at the rebellion of the children of Israel, their lukewarmness and their compromise, he realize that he may not be able to save everybody but he was not going to lose his children to the devil.
Noah having preached for 120 years without a convert, he saved his children and their fiancées. It would be horrible for him to have been in the ark and see his kids drowning in their sins.
Are your kids saved? Have they everything this world can offer and have not Christ? Every parent must have the time to look their child in the eye and tell them what sacrifice Jesus made to save their soul from eternal damnation. You can't leave that to the evangelist. You can't leave that to the youth leader or the pastor.
You leave in the same roof, you provide for him, you educate him and you take him to the doctor, YOU BETTER TAKE HIM TO JESUS!
I understand that some kids are grown and you may scarcely have any influence over them, nonetheless, do your responsibility. It is better to start though when they are young before they are set in a particular difficult path.
It is harder when parents don't have a standard or have lived a double life. When your life is not reflecting Jesus, you lack the moral stand to speak about Jesus to your kids. Well, you can start by repenting before them and changing your own life.
A Christian parent should not only once but take time to sit with their kids tell them how Jesus is the only hope they can ever have. Tell them that Jesus loves them and that God is better parent than any of us could ever be.
And lead them in prayer to dedicate their hearts to the Lord.
Never think a child has gone too far. As long as they have breath in their lungs, there is still hope.
A good parent should give their precious kid their first Bible. Today parents change their kids android phones and tablet as soon as the kid winds. And yet, never gave them a Bible.
I want you to know that God expects you to bring your child to the Lord, if you love that kid.
God bless you
David Pam McQuel
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