Parenting is not for sissies. The moment the first child is born, escalating emotions of joy and amazement become mixed with the anxiousness of “what will we do?” We are not trained to be parents. Instead, we are trained by being parents. Every decision made ultimately shapes our child into the adult they will one day choose to become.
Still, we all have a natural nurturing within us. Even Paul’s condemnation of the Gentiles in Romans 1 indicates there is a natural affection we should have for our children and our spouses. And this natural affection energizes our efforts to be better parents and overcome many shortcomings. Even though we make mistakes in parenting, we can grow to be better.
All parents should ask, “What are we trying to raise our child to be?” The answer will gird us up to make choices day in and day out. And each of those choices should be to help them find the life worth living – instead of a life clouded with idolatry and other vices. Wes McAdams once defined idolatry as “believing, deep down in your heart, that you cannot be whole without this ‘thing’ in your life. In other words, this ‘thing’ makes life worth living. In other words, does this “thing” we are raising them to be – will it make their life worth living – or will it be Jesus? So, what are we raising our kids to be?
Are we raising athletes? While Americans idolize many things, the evidence for the idolization of sports is evidenced in enormous stadiums, extreme athlete salaries, many dedicated sport TV channels and extremely passionate fans. Don’t misunderstand. “There is a time to play…” Solomon said. However, consider the number of hours we attend and the amount of money we spend on any sport. And then should we wonder when people, even Christians, scoff and say, “You want me to send how much to support the gospel where?” or “you want me to give up my Saturday and my Sunday to sing praise or invite people to study?” If we really want to show our child what is most important, why will we get pumped in exploding emotions at a game loss or bad ref call or joyful screaming at the win but yet when we come to worship, we drag ourselves like caterpillars to services and mumble prayers. Children will intuitively come to understand what it is in life that gives our life meaning and purpose. As the article quoted above said, “It isn’t just the sermons we preach with our mouths, but the sermons we preach with our wallets and our calendars” that show our kids where they need to find meaning in life.
Are we raising musicians? Everyone knows I love music and I know that time spent to improve musicianship can be demanding. Bands, Orchestras and Choirs – all vying for time now occupied with the dizzying amounts of entertainment today – often demand a staggering amount of time. So again, are we teaching our child what should be the real meaning in our life when for them we choose other activities instead of things that intend to honor Christ like worship, Bible study and service. Yes, it is still about balance. But, “it isn’t just the sermons we preach with our mouths, but the sermons we preach with our wallets and our calendars” that show our kids where they need to find meaning in life.
Are we raising scholars? In today’s world, Americans want students to excel in education above all others. If our child does not score higher than others, we demand homework, tutors and extended learning no matter the cost until she’s far above the average – even if it takes them away from services. We might even reason, “it’s just one Wednesday Bible class.” But, why won’t we say, “it’s just one assignment?” A child’s education is essential in shaping the whole person; But again, we must strike a balance. Education is important. Yet we show what we value most when we sit down with our child to make sure they learn their math facts or their ABCs but do not equally sit down to make sure they understand thr Bible? Would we make them miss school, sports or music events if when something for Jesus would have to come second? “It isn’t just the sermons we preach with our mouths, but the sermons we preach with our wallets and our calendars” that show our kids where they need to find meaning in life.
And are we raising fools? While that’s not meant to be harsh, it is the word Solomon often uses to describe the lazy. Are we as parents laboring to help our child understand the value of arduous work? This engagement is not just about creating for them a financial reward but to give them the balanced view of a life well lived. Do we make sure our little one will work for others even when there is no reward except the good of working? Do we let them spend inordinate amounts of time entertaining themselves instead of putting themselves out there to help others? “It isn’t just the sermons we preach with our mouths, but the sermons we preach with our wallets and our calendars” that show our kids where they need to find meaning in life.
And we all work hard. Indeed, we do. Raising my kids humbled me more than I can tell you. We struggled over the balance (and did not always succeed) between sports, school, band – and did I mention Scouts? However, we were still trying to teach not just in words, but also in deed, what the real meaning of life was. Actions we expected of them we tried to demand in us. While those activities can be wholesome and a valuable life’s work, we still did not raise them to be athletes, to be musicians or to be scholars.
We raised them to be Christians. We missed sports practices or left early to drive to services as they changed on the way and gobbled down dinner. We missed band events. We struggled and wrestled when conditions made choices harder and harder. But in our own lives, we wanted to show our children that Jesus was the meaning of our lives. We wanted to be with other Christians in different settings all the time: Singings, meetings, bible studies as well as the regular meetings of the church to which we belonged. Why miss the thing that matters most – if it really does?
We didn’t do this because we were “the preacher’s family”. We did this because we were raising our children to be Christians, the meaning of life? So, start early, stay strong and keep your “wallets and your calendars” to really show your kids where they need to find meaning in life.
By Don Hooton