Parenting on Purpose

Psalm 127:1-4 MSG
If God doesn’t build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn’t guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth…

Romans 8:28 NKJV
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Four Things a Child Needs to Fulfill Their Purpose:

1. To develop a deep understanding of faith

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

2. To develop a servant’s heart

Matthew 20:26-28 NKJV
“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

3. To develop resiliency in difficult times

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLV
This is the reason we do not give up. Our human body is wearing out. But our spirits are getting stronger every day. The little troubles we suffer now for a short time are making us ready for the great things God is going to give us forever. We do not look at the things that can be seen. We look at the things that cannot be seen. The things that can be seen will come to an end. But the things that cannot be seen will last forever.

4. To develop and live by vision

Proverbs 29:18 NIV
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.