Being a parent is interesting. You get this little human being to raise and prepare for living life as an adult. Now the interesting part is that I personally haven’t perfected life as an adult, so how am I supposed to teach that to another human? It’s like a grand experiment that takes like 30 years to see if it worked!! We all have our own methods of raising our kids. Some push their kids to be involved in everything. Others take the laid back approach. Some are harsh disciplinarians and some spoil their kids. It’s hard to get that perfect middle ground. The Bible has a few tips. One of them is in Ephesians 6:4. It’s says: Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
The first thing I notice about this passage is that It is talking to dads. Here in America the responsibility of raising kids has been left to moms a lot. Especially when it comes to religious matters. This should not be!! I’m guilty of this myself at times and I know better because my Father was very involved in my training. He was always ready to listen when I needed to talk and his advice came straight from the Bible. He also lived it out in his life for me to see. My Mom taught me the Bible and to memorize it and that was important but a child’s eye is watching Dad all the time. If mom is telling you one thing and dad is doing the opposite then it becomes confusing. This can “exasperate” I child. Dads, let’s live out our faith better! Let’s talk Bible to our kids, even after they are grown! They still need us even as adults! Thank you Lord for my parents who succeeded in the grand experiment of raising a hooligan like me! Not that I am anything at all but because they taught me to believe in you, and you are everything!!
Love on your kids today! Love y’all
Speaking truth in kindness 