Parenthood is a God-given joy and responsibility: a joy in that we are able to raise up for the Lord a people who will love Him, worship Him, and serve; and a responsibility in that God was the one who entrusted this task to us, and will require this of us at the right time.
Despite the abundance of parenting materials and child-raising advice available on the internet, many parents can and will agree that it's not that easy to raise children who will fear God.
Thankfully, God, the perfect Father, didn't leave us helpless in the noble task of raising children for Him glory. He gave us His Word, and from there we can find the instruction that we need to do it.
In this article we will take a look at God's Word and discover three things that we should know about raising children. God's Word still is the perfect source of instruction and admonition, and it will be good to check it for wisdom regarding parenting.
Biblical wisdom regarding raising kids
1) Children are a blessing from God
No matter how difficult it may be to raise kids, the truth is they are blessings coming from the Lord.
Psalm 127:3-5 tells us,
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate."
Children, no matter how unruly or troublesome they might be, should always be considered as a heritage coming from God. We must never resent them, but instead always be grateful for them.
2) We will get to know our Father better through our relationship with our children
Did you know that parents will get to know God better simply by having children?
Some of us may not realize it now, but the relationship we have with our children should at least teach us a few things about our own Father in heaven: how He sees us, treats us, and what He has in store for us.
Think about what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:9-11, saying:
"Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"
3) God expects us to teach them His ways
The Bible is clear about this: that God wants us to raise up children who will learn to fear Him and obey Him. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 tells us,
"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
Our daily lives with our kids, then, should be filled with Godly teaching. We must prioritize this above everything we teach our children.
