Flourish Devotional Part 2 - Faith-Filled Meditations for Moms on ParentingSample

Mirror Mirror (Parents as Influencers)

‘For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

- Gen 18:19

As parents, God has given us the rare privilege of having our children fashion their lives after us. We are the very first models our children see, and our home is the first agent of socialization. It is therefore important that we have a relationship with our heavenly Father so that they can naturally come to God for themselves since they see us model it.

In this regard, it is important that we pray with them and not just for them. Involve them during bible studies and let them see you seek God on your own.

Our lifestyle in and out of the home also speaks volumes. The way we treat people can easily be picked up by just watching. In psychology, there is a theory called Social Learning Theory where a mentor teaches by doing.

As parents, we are constantly teaching our children by what we do. Let our doing be intentional with their future in mind so that they can make the right choices now. It is never too late to model the right behavior for our children to follow. For example, how to handle stressful situations, healthy ways of expressing anger, how to handle criticism, how to handle pressure, praise, and admiration, how to behave in comfortable or uncomfortable situations, and so on.

When we make mistakes, it is also okay to admit to our children that we made mistakes so they can learn from them. May we be positive role models to our children in Jesus' name. Amen

Love,

Blessing Onwuamah

This devotional is a part of The Flourish Study series on Marriage and Parenting by Families Arising. Learn more about it at https://www.familiesarising.org/flourish