A Difficult Task
If you’re like most parents, disciplining your children will be one of the most difficult aspects of being of parent. At times, it will try your patience, wear you down and cause you to question your sanity. Many of us struggle with the end goal, thinking that as long as we can get our children to live how we want them to live, then it is a success. But is it?
Consider this, the word discipline is in the word discipleship. Our purpose as parents is to disciple our children towards Jesus; not just to set up a list of do’s and don’ts for them to follow. Furthermore, these do’s and don’ts or laws, exist not just to show us how to live but also to show us that apart from Jesus, we actually have no hope of following them in any meaningful way (Romans 7).
As a Christian, you are commanded to disciple other people. Failing to disciple your children, is abducating your responsibility as a Christian. They have been put under your charge to be shepherded towards Christ. This is no small or insignificant task.
The Child Returns
Proverbs 22:6 states, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” The standard you set as a parent will have the greatest impact on your child’s life. We would be wise to really take time to consider and discuss with our spouses and others, what will help each of our children move towards Jesus. Each child is different and requires shepherding in different ways but the standard set forth in scripture remains the same.
May God use these resources to bless you richly in your shepherding.
