Parents, Don't Get Lost in the Temporary

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Continuing our thoughts from last week, it is important that we, as parents, do not lose sight of our ultimate hope for our children: that they walk in the Truth (3 John 4). We want them to choose to do what is good and right in God’s sight, respecting the Bible as His Word, and honouring Him with their lives.

    We cannot lose ourselves in the temporary.

    The “want” of the hour may not matter tomorrow. The “absolute, must-have” item of the day will soon be forgotten and likely be replaced with something new. The “but everyone is going” event will pass… but the minutes, hours, days of pleading and begging may feel like an eternity and it can be easy to give in ‘just this once’ simply to bring about peace. Is that the kind of peace you want though? The short-term peace that lasts only until the next “Please, please, please, please, please!” erupts?

    Don’t lose yourself in the temporary.

    Maintain your focus on Jesus, concentrate on the eternal, and establish long-term peace for your children (and your home) by teaching them to look beyond the current and constantly changing fads of the world to what is real and worthy and never changing (1 Peter 1:23-25, Hebrews 13:8). When we provide our children with insights into God and His loving commands, showing them His manifold wisdom in providing boundaries and granting us immense freedoms to live a beneficial life we will be providing them with the means to build a faith, a focus, and a fruitful life before God, one of long-term peace and contentment.

    Not everything that our kids want is good or needful. Let’s ask for wisdom (James 1:5) to stay focused on Christ and remember our ultimate hope for our kids. Let’s love our children enough to love Christ more (Matthew 10:37) and together, follow His example in obedience to God, and serving others with love and good works.

“Be strong and of good courage…”

You can do it! So can I!!

Let today be the day!!