The Awesome Responsibility of Being A Parent [part one]

One of the greatest blessings in this life is to bring another life into being. When mothers and fathers hold their little bundles of joy, smiles and tears break out on their faces. Often it’s about this time that reality hits as the parents realize this bundle of joy will grow and become an adult. Now, the responsibility of shaping this child’s life is laid directly upon the shoulders of the parents. What will those parents do to help prepare their child for the world? How will they teach them what they need to know? Let’s give consideration to some things parents must be mindful of in accepting this awesome responsibility.

Parents train their children by explicit teaching. An example of this is found in God’s instruction to Israelite parents during the days of the Old Testament Law of Moses. "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in our house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up..." [Deuteronomy 6:6-9]. Did you note that God didn’t omit any time of life? In other words, parents need to take the time to constantly fill the minds of their children with God’s word. That’s the only way they’ll be able to deal with the variety of temptations that Satan hurls their way.

I must admit that I like some of the newer commercials which depict parents talking with their children about things like sex, cigarettes, and drugs. These ads admonish parents to take time to talk with their children about life, and to be straight forward with what’s expected of them concerning these matters and more. It’s my opinion that many parents don’t take the time to talk with their children about life, and it’s also my opinion that a lot of parents appear to be afraid to tell their children what they expect of them!

I also think it’s important to point that in order to establish proper behavior and right thinking in the hearts of our children we must start early and continue all of the time we have to influence them. And believe me, while it’s not the total answer, it will help support your efforts in the home if you will take them to Bible class and worship services. There they’ll develop friends with godly morals whose parents are trying to teach them what’s right too.

Someone a number of years ago criticized me for always bringing up the Bible and God’s word when I wrote about parents teaching their children, suggesting there were better things to teach our children. My response then is the same as my response now. What’s better than the Bible? The Bible teaches, respect for those in authority, obedience to parents, treating others as they would like to be treated, decency, forgiveness, pure love (not lust), honesty, fairness, friendship, morality, self-control, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, joy, etc. What is it that God’s word will not teach our children that they need to know about living their life to the fullest?

Parents, if you teach God’s word to your children, there’s no guarantee they will respect it and do what’s right. After all, they have a mind of their own, and someday they’ll make their own decisions in life and decide how they’re going to live their lives. Yet, if you don’t teach them about the Lord and his word, what chance do they have in making wise decisions?