Hopeful Parenting

Now that school is in session, every afternoon at approximately 2:00 I get the joy of waiting in the car line to pick up Jonah. To some that may sound like pure torture, but I've taken advantage of the 30 minutes or so I sit waiting to catch up on some reading. Back in May on Mother's Day when we had Isaac dedicated at church, we were given a book entitled Hopeful Parenting: Encouragement for Raising Kids who love God by Dr. David Jeremiah. I've only read the first 2 chapters so far because I'm really taking my time absorbing all he has to say and all he shares the scriptures have to say about raising children.

One of the issues I've come across on more liberal blogs out there is the idea today that parents should allow their children to choose for themselves what they want to believe. I really like what Dr. Jeremiah has to say about that kind of thinking. As parents, it is OUR responsibility to instill values and morals in our children. As a Christian, it's even more important that those values and morals reflect the teachings of Christ. What Dr. Jeremiah says is right on the money - if we do not influence our children and shape their values, someone else will. I don't know about you, but to me, that is an extremely scary thought.

Proverbs says to train kids in the way they should go, but society says to give them the freedom to choose their way. What’s the right way to raise kids?

Some say we ought to let children choose their own values and make their own moral judgments, thinking children will then grow up with a spirit of independence and become who they really are.

While that may sound wise and noble, such thinking contains at least two fatal flaws. First, when we neglect to teach our children values and sound moral principles within the family, we violate clear teaching from Scripture. We are to train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6), which means to train them up in the nurture and admonition, the counsel and instruction, of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). As parents, we are to dedicate our lives to teaching and cultivating in our children the values we have received from God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:7). We’re to get God’s commandments inside our kids, to talk about them wherever we are.

Second, such a valueless approach to raising children makes no sense. If we do not influence our children, someone else will. If we don’t shape their values, others will. We have a God-given responsibility and privilege to provide critical input for our sons and daughters, and we dare not shirk it.