How many times have you asked your child, “What are you doing?”
How many times have you asked yourself, “What am I doing?”
If I’m honest, my answer is often, “I am providing.” I go to work to provide financially. I take my family to church to provide spiritually. I help with homework and take an interest in school to provide educationally. These are good, but are insufficient.
Parenting is more than providing. Parenting is shaping.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 ESV).
It is not to provide for them so that they don’t starve or so that they score high enough on the SAT exam. Fathers, shape your children. Mold your children. Don’t beat them down. Don’t wear them out. Bring them up. Bring them up according to the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Our great God wants you to shape your child’s thinking, believing, and doing.
Let’s get practical and define the next step or two.
- What or who is shaping your child? Consider Romans 12:1-2 and the everyday active shaping power of the world. Identify who or what has influence.
- If you did one thing to help your child follow Jesus, what would it be?
By and For the gospel 