Today I am just giving you my own thoughts.  I say they are my thoughts but in fact they are shaped by the Word of God, my experiences and a wonderful book called Shepherding a Child’s Heart.  I also recommend a great book called Teach Them Diligently: How to Use Scriptures in Child Training.

Here is some good news: we are to use God as our parenting role model – we do not need to model after our parents or the latest fad in parenting; we can use His Word to find the Truth.  Actually, His Way is the only way to teach them diligently, as Deut. 6 says to do:  “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deut (6:4-9)

We must teach our children about God’s Way  – we are commanded to do this.  In addition, we are accountable to God for the way we parent.  I think we are given this task as part of our Christian growth too; because once we really understand that the only way to teach it, is to live it, that can be life changing!  They will do what we do, not what we say (if they don’t match up).  We cannot parent as hypocrites – saying one thing and doing another.  Parenting our children can help make us better Christians.

 How do know where to begin?  There is a biblical model of parenting we are to copy; we are to model ourselves after God, and be the kind of parent He is: The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.  The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.  The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.  Lord, the eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it.  16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.  The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.  He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.  The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.  PSALM 145:8-9, 13-20

Here is another truth we have forgotten: God does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17) – He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  We must parent the same way, the godly manner, regardless of whether it looks like it is “working” and let God work in the child.  Our culture has told us, “if one thing doesn’t work, try another”.  God does not tell us this.  He does not give us multiple-choice.  He makes it simple.  We make it complicated.  There is just one Way.  Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except by Me.” (John 14:16).  Every situation, every blessing, trial, or interaction with other people shows the kids a way – but, every time we must do right by them and by the Lord; we must show them The Way, the way to the Father.  To do that we will have to accept that God’s way is better, seek Him ourselves, and then we must leave the timetable and the results up to Him!

JustaGirl…just like you