Today, I had the opportunity to minister to close family members who are experiencing tough times. And for those of you who may be "going through" as well, let me take this opportunity to share my thoughts with you at this time.
When I think about it, today's woman has no easy task; she's expected to help bring home the bacon as well as cook it. And even though she may have a full time job, she's still responsible for the upkeep of the house and taking care of the children (her major responsibilities as a wife & mother). And let's not leave out today's man, who works hard on his job to provide a good home in which to raise his family and build towards a future that he and his wife may enjoy in their retirement years. But just how many of you, in your zeal to provide material things for the family, fail to think about and adequately address the spiritual needs of your children as well as yourselves? John 6:27 says, "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you..." i.e., don't put all your energy into that which is only temporary!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have personally known parents who've worked hard all their lives to leave their children something (an inheritance) and shortly after they died, their unappreciative children squandered it all! But not once have I ever heard a child say they didn't appreciate the faith their parents passed on to them. Therefore, parents, always be cognizant of the fact that your children are constantly watching you and they rely upon you to show them the correct way to live. Thus, why not show them how to live a life that is God-centered?
Let us not profess to be disciples of Jesus Christ and then allow other things to consume us and draw our attention away from Him. For if we're not careful, we'll be like the ground that received the seed with joy, yet because we don't take the time to fellowship with Him, the rocks & stones in our lives won't allow the seed to grow because we become overwhelmed with troubles & cares and die spiritually! Hebrews 2:11 says, "therefore, we must pay greater attention to what we've heard, so that we don't drift away from it".
The currents, cares & life's temptations will naturally cause you to drift away but if you don't want to drift away, if you want your life to mean something, if you want your children to see what it means to be a Christian, anchor deep in your fellowship with Christ. And, when they leave home to make their mark in this world, encourage them to continue their education so that they will find it easier to move up the ladder of success in their chosen career. But even more important, encourage them to develop and continually strengthen their relationship with God so that they won't miss out on life eternal with Him.
Good Parenting is "Making the right choices"!
