Parenting God’s Wayનમૂનો

Putting Your Family on the Right Course

All of us, when we become mothers or fathers, have an indescribable, powerful love for our children and naturally want the best for them. God, too, is deeply concerned about the well-being of our families. Scripture tells us that children are “a gift of the LORD” (Ps. 127:3), a reward from Him, and precious in His sight. It also teaches us that we’re stewards of His precious gifts, and as stewards, we’re accountable to God for how we raise and care for our children.

Since you’ve subscribed to this reading plan, you most likely consider raising children in godliness a central focus of your life. If your own parents modeled godly child-rearing practices, you can probably see the fruit of such an upbringing in your own life and surely want to take a similar approach with your children.

But perhaps you were raised in a home where commitment to biblical principles was lacking. A Christian lifestyle may have been completely absent. If that’s the case, you may have concerns about being able to raise children in godliness. Thankfully, God wants you to be a successful parent and a wise steward of your children even more than you do. That’s why He sent the Holy Spirit to live within you when you became a believer. This is the awesome power that will enable you—and your children, when they trust in Christ—to live by God’s principles (Gal. 2:20).

If you’ve never trusted Christ as your personal Savior, no amount of time, money, or education will help your children out of spiritual poverty. When it comes to things of eternal value, the only thing that will matter is their personal relationship with God through His Son.

Whether you’ve been walking with the Lord for many years or only a short time, He’s standing by faithfully, ready to help you with every challenge of life, including the many challenges of raising a child. Be encouraged as you begin to read His Word and discover His instructions for raising godly children. Implementing the principles and instructions that follow will help you navigate the many twists and turns in the journey of life and will better equip your entire family to live in ways that are pleasing to God. Over time, Christ Himself will build a legacy of godliness that nothing can completely erase. Ask the Holy Spirit to offer guidance as you work through this plan. Take time to reflect on what you’re learning as you develop a biblical approach to parenting that will meet your children’s needs and put your family on the right course.