ODJ: not mine
August 9, 2014
READ: Proverbs 3:1-26
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (v.6).
My husband and I believe that the most influential people in a child’s life are his or her parents. But we wonder at times if our parenting decisions are having the impact we hoped for. Now that our kids are adolescents, friendships no longer consist of playing with toys and learning to share. Likewise, because they’re not always within sight, our kids have more experiences on their own than when they were younger. These days, instead of searching for a lesson to deposit in their hearts and minds (Proverbs 3:1), I find myself looking for a place to kneel and pray for them.
Every parent faces the fear of failure and, for the believing parent, those concerns magnify when we recognise the influence we have over our children’s spiritual development (Psalm 78:1-7). Wondering about their choices when we’re not around, we become anxious that they will wander from the truths we have tried to instil in them. Godliness in our children, however, isn’t something determined by our level of visibility. But there is One who is always watching, and who is always at work beyond what we can see (Psalm 33:18; Proverbs 3:12,26).
Standing on our God-given authority, we can boldly pray God’s wisdom over our children (vv.5-7,13-18). From obedience to God to our relationships with others and our decisions in the future, His Word is both relevant and powerful (vv.4,7). If we want our kids to know His truths and to put Him first in their lives, we must learn to “seek his will in all [we] do” (v.6). Our greatest spiritual influence on our children is found in the way we live out our faith before them. —Regina Franklin
365-day plan› John 9:1-41
Read Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and consider how you can apply these words to sharing God’s wisdom with children.
Why is it easy for parents to worry or fear? How does the way God loves and nurtures have an impact on the way you care for the children in your life—your own kids, nieces and nephews, and other children you come into contact with?