The Relationship
God puts such a value on parenting that he would identify himself to us as a Father because a parent is the best explanation of the relationship he wants to have with us. Since it is so important, set goals with the end in mind to help you be the parent, the grandparent, the great-grandparent, or even the parent-to-be that God has in mind.
The Stages
Being a parent means your role is always changing. When your kids are small you’re in the Discipline Years teaching right and wrong and consequences. As they get older and begin school you move into the Training Years explaining the why behind all those rules you taught. Then the teen years become the Coaching Years where you seek to connect more than correct, so that when you enter the Friendship Years (18+) you are consulted for input and advice.
The Words
Solomon wrote, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” (Proverbs 4:23-24)
The more often we recognize how unevenly weighted our words are, how heavy our words are to my kids, the better we can avoid saying what we don’t mean to say or letting our intent get lost. Mark Batterson says in his new book, Please, Sorry, Thanks wrote, “Your words create worlds.” However, we get to determine what those worlds look like.
The Faith
Be involved and be a student of your kids in their questions and not a critic. Take advantage of teachable moments to fan the flame of their faith. Deuteronomy 6 states, “These commandments that I give to you today, are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”