Treasures From God: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

So many prodigals

A mother groans, “What did we do wrong? Why is our daughter seeing another woman?” Parents in every generation since the fall have seen their children reject the value system they were given. You can transfer financial wealth to the next generation, but you can’t believe for them. You can’t simply transplant faith from your heart to theirs.

As great a man as the prophet Samuel was, he must have felt like a terrible failure as a father. “When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. The name of the firstborn was Joel and the name of the second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:1-3).

What to do? First, love unconditionally. Your approval of his or her lifestyle may be conditional, but your love is not. Second, do your homework in the Bible and simply speak the truth. It is God’s truth after all, not just your (outmoded) opinion. If your kids reject what you say, their real issue is with God, not you. Make sure your disapproval is based on God’s Word, not just fashion or style. Third, give ’em time. Perhaps your faith life at age 22 was no great shakes either.

Fourth, pray for them every day and give God what you can’t control.