Raising Godly Children
As cliche as “children are the leaders of tomorrow” sounds, it is the gospel truth. If we want the generations coming after us, continue spreading and doing God’s work, it is better to catch them when they are young. This emphasizes the role godly parenting plays in our society. However, raising godly children is not the simplest task. It requires applying biblical and godly parenting practices. Foremost, it is important to know that raising godly children should be a priority in any Christian marriage. Therefore, Christian parents owe it to their children, Christian communities, and the society to bring their children in the way of the Lord.
No wonder the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6:
Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV
What is Godly parenting?
Godly parenting is parenting in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to God. Simply, it is modeling Christ when relating with your children.
How do you raise Godly children?
God is the only ideal parent. Still, we can seek to emulate Him and learn profitable lessons on how to raise virtuous children by studying Him and His Word.
Here are a couple of tips that can help in our quest to raise godly children:
- Parents should embody godliness: To train your children in the way of the lord, you need to model godliness. Children frequently imitate their parents’ behavior. Hear Paul’s challenge to Christians:
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 KJV
God is a loving, caring, merciful, and disciplined father. So, he urged them to tread the heels of their father, God, and to live a life of love.
- Parents should look to God’s word as the guide: Parents must look to the Scriptures as the ultimate guide in addition to modeling godly behavior. God, the Father nurtures godliness in us in this way. According to Ephesians 5:26, Christ purifies and sanctifies the church by washing her in the water of the Word. The same holds true for parents and their kids. This is exactly what Moses commanded Israel’s parents in Deuteronomy 6:6-7. He said:
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon 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.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 KJV
3. Discipline is a necessity: Parents must discipline their children if they intend to raise soldiers for the army of Christ. This involves introducing diverse modes of discipline that will help shape them spiritually and otherwise.
The Bible says in (Proverbs 13:24):
He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline.
Proverbs 13:32 KJV
- Parents must know and love their children: Developing a relationship with your children in which you know them psychologically and otherwise, helps in presenting Christ to them. By this, you know what approach would yield the best results. Also, loving them the way Christ loves, creates the base for trust and obedience.
When God created Adam and Eve, he intended that they do more than just procreate (Gen 1:28). They were also called to raise the children that would bring glory and honor to God’s name (Mal 2:15).
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