The High Call of Parenting

If you have children, then regardless of your own career or ministry aspirations and activities, one of God’s primary callings on your life is that of godly parenting! This is a tremendously important and high calling! Parents are called not only to nurture their children to become independent and functioning adults, but to impart to them a spiritual legacy. One of my greatest fears is that parents aren’t investing the time and energy it takes to leave a spiritual legacy for their children. The average parent simply does not take a proactive role in building up the spiritual lives of their children. We may invest countless hours into our children’s education and extracurricular activities, but when it comes to spiritual development, we too often allow circumstances and chance to affect how we manage our family life and especially that of our calling as parents.

It is very clear in the Bible (see Deuteronomy 6:6-7) that the primary role of a parent is to train children who will not only be faithful to their relationships with God but who will also develop their own vital vibrant faith. I’m truly thankful for the wonderful influence that churches and Christian educational institutions have – impacting and motivating the spiritual lives of our kids. Yet, far too many parents expect others to instill the spiritual values their children need. Most parents have a difficult time proactively helping their children grow spiritually because they themselves didn’t have adequate role models growing up.

The spiritual development of your kids is directly influenced by the example they see you setting at home. Kids have a highly tuned “hypocrisy” detector, so if you are tempted to project the illusion that you are a “perfect” Christian, please understand that your kids already know better, and this won’t produce a vital Christian lifestyle in their lives. Rather, it’s much better to intentionally live out a genuine faith in front of your children everyday; one that models what it means to follow Christ despite your struggles and failures. This teaches them what faith looks like as it’s lived out in the real world, both when you are at your best and when you are at your worst.

Today, there is a fresh wind inspiring parents to take an active, intentional role in nurturing the faith of their children. Be a part of what God’s Spirit is doing in this area! Fulfill your calling! Don’t miss out on perhaps the greatest legacy you can pass on to your kids: a life that demonstrates a passionate pursuit of God and love for Him. Be reminded, encouraged and challenged: The process starts with you!