We all want what is best for our children.
We look out for their physical needs by giving them food, shelter, and clothing. If we can, we put them in extra-curricular activities like hockey, soccer, and gymnastics.
We take care of their intellectual needs by teaching them to read, helping with their homework, and ensuring that they get the best education possible. If we can, we put them in piano lessons, or have them learn a second language.
We also take care of their spiritual needs. This may come in different forms but for our family, there is only one form and that is having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
This is not a post on why Jesus is the answer. Take it from me that he is. And because I believe that he is, I wanted my children to believe it as well. Life comes with its trials and tribulations. Who better to see you through it all; to give you peace and comfort; to give you answers and solutions, than the creator of the universe?
If you believed that the answer to abundant life here, and eternal life later is Jesus Christ, wouldn’t you want your children to know and love him? Of course, you would.
Here’s what we did.
- Pray.
We prayed a lot. For me, some of it was done because I didn’t want to stand in front of the Lord and have him say, “You did a terrible job with the children I gave you.” I wanted to be able to say, “I prayed. Where were you?” Lol. Just kidding.
We wanted wisdom and guidance.
We wanted the children protected from physical harm and from having harmful information take root in their hearts.
We wanted the right information to take root and the love of Jesus to be known by our children. We wanted Jesus in their lives. - Model.
They have to see it in you. Kids are smart. They can tell if you truly believe what you are preaching. Hypocrites can’t hide for long.
I wanted to model it so much that I sometimes faked it. There were times when I was in my office doing something on the computer. If I heard one of the children coming, I would get on my knees and pray so that when they opened the door, they would see their father praying. Now I really was praying but it was something like, “Lord, you know why I’m doing this. I want my kids to know that their father prays whenever he can so that they do as well.” I don’t know that I needed to do this, but I did.
We modeled bible reading and praying and did much of those with them.
We modeled faith by praying for healing or that they would do well on tests. - Church
Thank God we found a good one, one that had a good children’s program. Shout out to International Gospel Centre in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. If it was Sunday, we were in church. There was no option. We frequented midweek programs as well.
Our kids were involved. They participated in the worship team, enjoyed acting in skits, did specials in song, taught toddlers when they got older, etc. It was often that we sat in the pews proudly watching our children perform. - Encourage
Prepare yourself for questions and certainly encourage them. If you don’t know the answer, find it, or direct them to someone who does. At some point, it has to become their faith. It has to become their relationship with Jesus. Encourage them to question their faith and prove it to be true. Encourage them to question the Bible and prove it to be true. I know many cases of people who didn’t get good answers to their questions and hence lost their desire to know Jesus.
This is a short list. Ultimately it’s about teaching them the ways of the Lord to the best of your ability.
But there are no guarantees. There are plenty of people who have done what we did and their kids went wayward.
As fathers, we are to be obedient to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Eph 6:4 ESV)
Leave the rest to Jesus. Ultimately, they are his. But dads will have a lot to answer for if they did not obey Eph 6:4.
I hope this helps.