The Power in Good Parenting

Today’s Scripture:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good… 2 Timothy 3:1-3

No one knows, not even Jesus, at this point if we are truly in the end times…but it is clear to see times are terrible.  There is hurt, hunger, destruction, extreme wealth which helps little for the extreme poverty, abuse, ungratefulness, and the list goes on and on.  Honest good kids get mixed up with the “wrong crowd” and all of the sudden…BAM…they are involved in drugs, sexual immorality, and countless law-breaking acts which will eventually land them in prison.  I feel it is pretty safe to say, most all prisoners didn’t just get up one morning when they were preschoolers and say, “I’m going live a life of crime one day!” Parenting is such a hard and tedious job, and quite honestly…it will wear you out!!! Let me first provide this thought; I know it is not always poor parenting that causes kids to go down the wrong path.  But constant parental involvement, not absentness, is key to knowing what is going on in their lives, and if things are going astray; they can be dealt with on the front end, rather than waiting to clean up the mess on the back end. Of course, there are often preacher’s kids who have the most loving and godly environment to grow up in, that still make bad decisions to follow down a road that leads to heartache for their parents and severe consequences.  But good, solid, godly parenting does definitely help to give them the best chance possible to make wise choices as they stumble through this fallen world we live in.  Not only that, but if they should find themselves in a “mess,” knowing the Lord and having loving parents to come back to will often aid in their turning from sinful ways.  No, not always, life has no guarantees, but more so than not…if they know God’s word and have solid role models in their impressionable years, they return to Him just as the prodigal son did in the parable Jesus told in Luke 15:11-32.  Many know this scripture, but if you do not or would like a refresher, it can be read at the link provided.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015:11-32

We are all prodigal children to our Father, as we all make mistakes, then find ourselves shuffling our feet up the road with our head hung low at all ages and stages of life.  This is where we must be transparent to our children, admit our shortcoming, ask forgiveness from God, and lead by example.  Children will imitate what their parents do from a young age on into adulthood.  Scary thought, EH?  It is a ton of pressure to parent, and hopefully parent well.  Our kids don’t get to pick their parents, and well; we don’t get to pick them.  God is in charge of that, and we must do the best we humanly can to grow them up to know the Lord, truly know Him, not just about Him, but personally!  Knowing about the stories and knowing Him personally are two completely different things.  Make sure you sweet children know they can go to God all on their own to ask for guidance, forgiveness, and that Jesus is their friend just like other friends they talk to, but only better!!! As our scripture of the day states, don’t become what you tell your children to stay away from in life.  Be the example, live a life worthy of imitating, and show them as best human flesh will allow you to be; that righteousness in God’s eyes is worth the extra effort.  And if you or they should stray from God’s ways, a repentant heart and restoration are beautiful new beginnings.  So, use God’s power in your parenting, you won’t regret it one bit!