How are our children going to follow God’s direction? Can they understand when God is speaking to them…telling them where He wants them to go and how He wants them to act? It is our responsibility as parents to be sure our children see Christ in us.
Proverbs 22:6 says “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”
We must set an example for our children in all aspects of our lives. Pray for them and teach them how to pray. Develop in them habits of worship, service, encouragement, forgiveness and honesty. There are many traits of God that our children need to learn.
When I was young, my mom taught me a lesson about honesty that has stuck with me to this day. As a young boy growing up in a small town, I went to the grocery store to buy some penny candy with 25¢ that my mom had given me. As I was leaving, I went to the soda machine and hit the buttons to see if a drink would fall out…and it did! I was so happy. Not only did I have a bag of candy, I also had a nice cold drink to sip on during the ride home.
When I got home, my mom asked where I got the soda knowing how much money she had given me. When I explained how I got it, she told me I would have to go back to the store and pay the cashier for the drink. Even though someone else had paid for the drink, I had not. With that logic, mom gave me a quarter and we drove back to the store to pay for my drink.
Are you teaching your children about honesty, and many other similar traits, in such a way that these traits stick with them for a lifetime? How we talk and behave around our children will mold them as future adults. I pray I have been a positive role model, and have adequately taught Christ’s traits, to my two sons. We start our children on their walk with God so that when they get older, they will be more aware of God’s will and direction in their life.
