The material from this is largely taken from Todd Friel's Reset for Parents.
What are our responsibilities as Christian parents? What role do we play in the salvation of our children? Todd Friel takes on these questions in his book Reset for Parents. He beseeches us to remember that every Christian is a convert; no one is born a Christian. We must also remember that we are not able to save our children, but we can and should pray for their salvation and to teach them in such a way as to make the gospel attractive to them.
Four goals for our interactions with our children:
1) Our words, actions, tone, and expressions would lead them to love and fear God more
2) Our words, actions, tone, and expressions would encourage them that we are fellow sinners who understand both their struggles and their feelings when they fall
3) Our words, actions, tone, and expressions would build, not tear down, our relationships with our children
4) We would model for our children humility, love for God and others, and reliance on God and the Scriptures.
These goals are enough to be getting on with. Which of us are not aware of our failures in these? It is a constant struggle not to let our own anger, frustrations, and disappointments surface when we are correcting and training our children. But it is a worthwhile struggle, and with prayer and Biblical learning, we can grow in godliness in our parenting.
In addition to considering how we parent, we must also consider what we are teaching our children about God. There are some crucial things for our children to understand about God before we send them out into the post-modern culture in which we live.
1) God and the Law
God is holy and just. He will judge and punish all who fail to keep the law perfectly. It is not enough to be a "good" person. God's standard is 100% obedience to the 10 commandments, which, as Jesus taught us, include not just our actions, but also the desires of our hearts. Understanding our failure to keep the law helps us to see our need for the gospel.
2) The Gospel
The message of the gospel is that even though we are lawbreakers, we are not without hope. God himself, in the second person of the Trinity, came to save us. He perfectly kept the law, and then bore the punishment for our sins on the cross. In doing this, Jesus saved us from the wrath of God (justification) and from our enslavement to our sinful passions (sanctification). Justification is a one-time event by which we are declared "not guilty" in God's court. Salvation is a life-long process by which we become more like Christ as we learn through the scriptures who God is and what He desires our lives to be. Salvation cannot be earned by good works, but good works are evidence of it.
3) The Character of God
If your children have not already been asked, they will be one day, "If God is all-good and all-powerful, why do evil things happen?" Are they ready for that question? Do they know that God is not only good and omnipotent, but also loving, holy, just, long-suffering, patient, kind, generous...? Our kids need to have a foundational knowledge of who God is, and how to discover Him through the scriptures.
4) The Character of Man
Do your children understand that understand that we are each self-centered and slaves to our desires? Do they understand, along with Paul, that they actually will have to battle against their natural desires? There is a common idea in our culture that people are basically good and will do good if just given the right environment. That idea is in direct contradiction to everything in the Bible.
5) Sin
Do your children understand that there is such a thing as sin? Do they know what specific attitudes, words, and actions are sinful, according to Biblical standards? Also, do your children understand that sin is not an "if," but a "when?"
6) Who is Jesus?
Many people believe that Jesus was a good teacher, but that He never claimed to be God. Do your children know that this is untrue? Do your children understand the scriptures in which Jesus claimed to be God?
7) Life is hard and it is not fair.
Bad things are going to happen in our lives. Sometimes these things happen because we have made poor or sinful decisions. But sometimes things that seem bad to us, with our limited perspective, are actually things that drive us closer to God and make us more holy. Are our kids prepared to trust God and turn to Him when things happen in their lives that they don't understand or don't like?
8) How to see God's will for decision-making
Pray for God's wisdom. Read every Bible verse that speaks to the subject. Seek godly counsel from elders who know you well. Consider your preferences. Move forward in peace.
9) For Teens:
If you teens do not have a desire to grow in godliness, to know the Lord better, to be a mature Christian, to serve others; if their only desire is to please themselves, then they may not actually be Christians. It is at least worth a conversation with them if you see no desire for/evidence of spiritual growth in their lives.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Friday, January 25, 2019
Raising Arrows, Not Aprons: What do our Children Need from Us?
This was the topic of both our November and January meetings. We covered so much information that instead of trying to write about it in two large posts, I am going to try to post a little of the information each week until I get through it all.
The premise of this topic is based on Psalm 127:3-5, Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies at the gate.
In moving forward, then, we need to remember three things. First, children are a gift from God, a blessing. Secondly, they need to be prepared for the battles they will face. Third, this preparation keeps them from being put to shame when they contend with the many "enemies" they will face in adulthood. (I am referring to these more figuratively -- temptations, poor decision-making, and the host of other issues our young adults face.) Unfortunately, we often tend not to prepare our children to be sent out as arrows, but instead (often without thought), parent in ways that encourage them to become more dependent on us, thus tying them to ourselves as aprons.
So what do our children need from us? The things they need from us are so difficult to give them, especially when they are trying our patience. I am going to give these in list form, so that, if you feel that there is one that you really want to focus on, you can pick it out easily. None of us are doing all these things, or even half of them, well. But each of us can choose one to work to improve on.
Unconditional love and respect. (Moms, if you are not showing your sons respect, I encourage you to check out the book, Mothers and Sons: The Respect Effect. Just as love is not something we give our children only if they "deserve" it, so respect is also to be unconditionally given, and this is often not intuitive for moms.) Do your kids know you love and respect them as people even when they fail? Even when they sin in a big way and the whole church finds out about it? God loves and respects you this way.
Edification. Let nothing come out of your mouths that is not helpful for building your children up according to their needs (Eph. 4:29). I don't think this needs further explanation.
Belonging. Our children need to know their important role within our family. This is built by working, serving, and playing together. It is build by listening to, supporting, and encouraging one another.
The building of competence. Let them push the boundaries of what they are able to do. (A couple of weeks ago, I asked my teenage son to remove the lint trap and clean out the lint that had gotten underneath it. I went into the basement a while later to find the front of my dryer completely removed. Yes, that job was more involved than either of us expected, but I just thanked him and went back upstairs.) Give them responsibilities around the house and do not redo the chores if they are done poorly. (Either reteach or make the child redo if needed)
Trustworthiness. Don't share their secret dreams and struggles that they entrust to you. (Ouch! This is the one I will be focusing on.)
Vision. What kind of characteristics do you want your children to have when they become adults? Share this vision with them. Let them know why those things are important, and that you are committed to building them within your child, even if the cost is high to you. (For example, if doing a job well, even if no one is watching, is important to you -- are you willing to stay the course during your child's tantrum when you tell her she has to clean the bathroom again because it has not been done properly the first time?)
Allowing them to make bad decisions, especially as they get older. Let them spend their money frivolously (but don't give them more when they run out). Let them put off an assignment until the night before it is due and get a bad grade on it in co-op. Our kids need to learn how to make decisions when the costs are relatively small, rather than not knowing how to make decisions until they leave our homes when the costs are much higher.
I know these things are so hard. I have three teens now, and as I type this, I think of all the ways that I have not done these things and how much time I have lost. However, when I have succeeded it is because I have had in mind the adults that I want my children to be and have allowed that vision to motivate me in my parenting today. It also helps immensely to know that God loves my children more than I do, that He has prepared good works for them to do, and that I can trust Him that the difficulties He brings into their lives will ultimately make them more Christlike. Honestly, the times that I have grown most in my life have been the times of difficulty, not the times of ease. While my tendency is to "pave the way" for my kids, I realize that I need to stop that because I don't want to steal from them those times of growth. I want to raise arrows, and hard times are a part of that.
Next week: Am I Raising a Child Who Knows the Lord?
The premise of this topic is based on Psalm 127:3-5, Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies at the gate.
In moving forward, then, we need to remember three things. First, children are a gift from God, a blessing. Secondly, they need to be prepared for the battles they will face. Third, this preparation keeps them from being put to shame when they contend with the many "enemies" they will face in adulthood. (I am referring to these more figuratively -- temptations, poor decision-making, and the host of other issues our young adults face.) Unfortunately, we often tend not to prepare our children to be sent out as arrows, but instead (often without thought), parent in ways that encourage them to become more dependent on us, thus tying them to ourselves as aprons.
So what do our children need from us? The things they need from us are so difficult to give them, especially when they are trying our patience. I am going to give these in list form, so that, if you feel that there is one that you really want to focus on, you can pick it out easily. None of us are doing all these things, or even half of them, well. But each of us can choose one to work to improve on.
Unconditional love and respect. (Moms, if you are not showing your sons respect, I encourage you to check out the book, Mothers and Sons: The Respect Effect. Just as love is not something we give our children only if they "deserve" it, so respect is also to be unconditionally given, and this is often not intuitive for moms.) Do your kids know you love and respect them as people even when they fail? Even when they sin in a big way and the whole church finds out about it? God loves and respects you this way.
Edification. Let nothing come out of your mouths that is not helpful for building your children up according to their needs (Eph. 4:29). I don't think this needs further explanation.
Belonging. Our children need to know their important role within our family. This is built by working, serving, and playing together. It is build by listening to, supporting, and encouraging one another.
The building of competence. Let them push the boundaries of what they are able to do. (A couple of weeks ago, I asked my teenage son to remove the lint trap and clean out the lint that had gotten underneath it. I went into the basement a while later to find the front of my dryer completely removed. Yes, that job was more involved than either of us expected, but I just thanked him and went back upstairs.) Give them responsibilities around the house and do not redo the chores if they are done poorly. (Either reteach or make the child redo if needed)
Trustworthiness. Don't share their secret dreams and struggles that they entrust to you. (Ouch! This is the one I will be focusing on.)
Vision. What kind of characteristics do you want your children to have when they become adults? Share this vision with them. Let them know why those things are important, and that you are committed to building them within your child, even if the cost is high to you. (For example, if doing a job well, even if no one is watching, is important to you -- are you willing to stay the course during your child's tantrum when you tell her she has to clean the bathroom again because it has not been done properly the first time?)
Allowing them to make bad decisions, especially as they get older. Let them spend their money frivolously (but don't give them more when they run out). Let them put off an assignment until the night before it is due and get a bad grade on it in co-op. Our kids need to learn how to make decisions when the costs are relatively small, rather than not knowing how to make decisions until they leave our homes when the costs are much higher.
I know these things are so hard. I have three teens now, and as I type this, I think of all the ways that I have not done these things and how much time I have lost. However, when I have succeeded it is because I have had in mind the adults that I want my children to be and have allowed that vision to motivate me in my parenting today. It also helps immensely to know that God loves my children more than I do, that He has prepared good works for them to do, and that I can trust Him that the difficulties He brings into their lives will ultimately make them more Christlike. Honestly, the times that I have grown most in my life have been the times of difficulty, not the times of ease. While my tendency is to "pave the way" for my kids, I realize that I need to stop that because I don't want to steal from them those times of growth. I want to raise arrows, and hard times are a part of that.
Next week: Am I Raising a Child Who Knows the Lord?
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