There are a number of passages in the Bible that help us understand what it means to be a good parent to our children. I Thessalonians gives us four things worth considering as we evaluate how we’re doing as moms and dads.
We all have our moments – whether due to stress or fatigue or whatever – when we fall short of what we’d like to be as a parent. But the normal for godly parents should include a lot of the following:
Gentleness (2:7)
Do you default to gentleness? Is that your norm with your kids? Or do you tend to be harsh with your words or tone of voice or body language? The same sentence can take on totally different meanings depending on how it is said to our kids. A calm gentle spirit will have a much better impact than frustration or anger.
Encouragement (2:12)
Are your children encouraged by the way you treat them? God wants us to help them step out and discover the unique person that He created them to be. Or are they discouraged? Even when dealing with a child’s bad behavior, we can try to intentionally make sure we are encouraging them to good behavior in the future instead of leaving them feeling like they are a failure or a disappointment to us.
Comfort (2:12)
When life is hard – even on the level of a small child – do your children find comfort and safety with you? Do they know they can run to you for love and acceptance and understanding?
Urging to live lives worthy of God (2:12)
Are your children learning from you what it means to walk with God in the midst of a fallen world? Are they seeing it in your life? Are you speaking those truths into their lives?
Yes, we all fall short. But remember… God knew what He was doing when He gave us our kids. And He knows we are not perfect people or perfect parents. But with God’s help, intentionally keeping these four things in mind as we raise our children can help us be the parents we want to be for our kids.
by Bernice Gudgel
If you’re interested in more on this vital matter, a related message video can be watched here.