Followby Brian Waple
When our kids were growing up, we took very seriously our responsibility for raising them well (as good Christian parents should). We made sure they attended church every week; tried our best to get them into Sunday school as often as we could; said grace together before most meals; incorporated family prayer times; scrutinized the music, television, and videos they were exposed to; got them involved in Christian activities and events; bought all the Adventures in Odyssey tapes; read all the recommended “Raising a Christian Family” books; and tried our best to model what we thought was appropriate and biblical Christian behavior. So, you can imagine our surprise (and our sense of failure/grief) when, as young adults and able to make their own choices, they both walked away from the church. What did we do wrong?
Brian spoke about our responsibility as parents to be an influence on our kids, love our kids, teach and train our kids, nurture our kids, and provide for our kids. This is a monumental task of love … and, if you’re like us, you feel an immense burden when trying to make all this happen on your own for the kingdom of God. But there was something else Brian said … WE NEED HELP! Amen, and again I say, AMEN! In spite of what we may or may not do, we as parents have to trust that God, working through the Holy Spirit and the community of believers, will reach our kids in His way and in His time. In our own power (even with the help of VeggieTales), we can’t “save” them. As much as we want our kids to place their trust in Jesus, it won’t happen until God does a work in them through the Holy Spirit. I didn’t always know that, but I feel that immense burden lifted and a sense of relief when I pray for my sons and place my sons (now men) in God’s hands and trust that He will work His will in their lives.
Brian is absolutely right — God has given us the responsibility, as parents, for doing what we can so that our kids are brought up to know and love God; to understand Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection; and to believe that God loves them and wants them with Him forever. But in spite of our loving them, influencing them, training them, nurturing them, and providing for them, our kids may reject God and Christianity. But the hope we have as parents is knowing that God loves them and seeks to bring them to Himself. We still need to do our part. But just remember: in spite of our best intentions and everything we may or may not do, thankfully, God is still in control.
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Amen and amen! You guys are great parents, and your sons are awesome young men. We join you in lifting them up in prayer, just as we know you pray for our family as well.
I constantly find encouragement in Solomon’s wise words: “Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Prov. 22:6 NET)
And the dude knew what he was talking about — he didn’t really get his act together until he was a bit older!