What do you think is the most important thing parents must do for their children? I believe our greatest calling is to build a Christian foundation for them. We have eighteen short years to put that foundation in place before they venture into the world on their own. When they do go, will their foundation be strong and sure for what they will face?
My Foundation Needed to Be Stronger
I discovered that my own foundation needed work when I began to teach my children. Parenting crises sent me to God’s Word in a desperate search for answers. Now I know I should have been doing more in-depth Bible study and prayer even when I didn’t have an emergency.
The Belt of Truth
The foundation that I needed was not a short answer for today’s problem as much as big, overall picture and understanding of how God wanted me to live and how he could empower me to raise my children. In Ephesians 6:14, we read, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.” That’s what I needed – the belt of truth. Instead I was picking out little truths here and there to fill a particular need.
Make the Foundation Strong and Sure
If I could have do-overs? God’s Word and my relationship with him would have been the center of my life. Out of that would be a natural flow of the truth I wanted my children to know. With the belt of truth firmly in place, I could go confidently about the business of child-rearing. With that kind of empowerment, the foundation could be strong and sure.
February 2, 2012 at 9:46 am
I’m still struggling with this. I so want my kids to see their faith as their own and not just their parents’. I think what you mentioned previously in Two Way to Make 2012 a Great Year (http://www.parentingfromthesource.com/2012/01/two-ways-to-make-2012-a-great-year/)is key–teaching them to dig into the Word. Thanks for the ongoing encouragement!
February 2, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Thanks for your comments, Teri. You always make me think!
I suspect this is one of those traits that we will not see the fruit for a while. We have to keep teaching on faith. It may be that a decision must be made at age 26 that sends a young adult to the Scripture…even though he has relied on his parents’ instruction up to that time. The important thing is that he see his parents modeling this at the same time they are teaching it.