What practical steps can parents take to honor children as God's gift? Children: God’s Precious Heritage “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” (Psalm 127:3) Receive with Grateful Hearts • Start each day by thanking God aloud for the gift of your children; gratitude reshapes attitudes. • Recognize that every stage—infancy, toddlerhood, teen years—comes straight from His hand (James 1:17). • Speak this truth over your children so they know their worth does not hinge on performance but on God’s declaration. Prioritize Their Spiritual Formation • Center the home on Scripture: read a few verses at breakfast, memorize together, sing psalms or hymns. • Follow Deuteronomy 6:6–7—talk about God’s Word “when you sit at home … walk along the road … lie down … get up.” • Pray with and for them—before tests, games, conflicts—so they learn prayer is a first response, not last resort. Shape Hearts with Loving Discipline • Discipline aims at restoration, never humiliation (Hebrews 12:11). • Combine clear boundaries with consistent consequences; inconsistency breeds insecurity. • Pair correction with encouragement—Ephesians 6:4 warns against provoking to wrath. Speak Life and Blessing • Regularly affirm specific character traits you see God shaping: “I saw your kindness today when …” • Use Numbers 6:24-26 to bless them at bedtime or before school; spoken blessing roots identity in God’s favor. • Avoid sarcasm and labels that wound; Colossians 3:21 reminds us that harshness discourages young hearts. Model a Genuine Walk with Christ • Let them catch you reading the Bible and seeking God’s counsel. • Confess your own sins quickly; children learn grace when they hear parents repent. • Serve together—visit shut-ins, bring meals to neighbors—so faith looks active, not abstract (James 2:17). Guard and Guide • Protect innocence: monitor media, know their friends, set internet safeguards (Psalm 101:3). • Teach discernment, explaining why certain influences are rejected; rules without reasons breed rebellion. • Remind them often: “Let the little children come to Me” (Mark 10:14)—Jesus welcomes, so should our home. Invest Time and Memory-Making • Schedule one-on-one outings; undivided attention communicates value stronger than gifts. • Eat dinner together whenever possible; studies—and Proverbs 15:17—show fellowship over food nourishes more than calories. • Celebrate milestones with joy: lost teeth, driving permits, graduations; rejoicing affirms their significance. Steward Resources for Their Good • Budget for Christian education, camps, and Bibles before entertainment upgrades; investments reveal priorities. • Teach them to tithe from allowance or earnings, modeling stewardship early (Malachi 3:10). • Plan for their future yet hold possessions loosely, remembering they belong to the Lord first. Partner with the Church Community • Engage in multigenerational worship; children need spiritual grandparents and brothers, not only peers. • Encourage them to serve—ushering, music, tech, nursery—so they sense ownership in Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27). • Seek mentors for teens; sometimes another trusted adult’s voice reinforces parental counsel. Entrust Them Back to God • Daily place their lives, decisions, and futures in His hands; He loves them infinitely more than we can. • Remember Hannah’s example (1 Samuel 1:27-28): the child God gives, we dedicate back to Him. • Rest in His promise: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Honoring children as God’s gift begins with seeing them exactly as Scripture declares—heritage, reward, blessing—and then living that conviction through grateful, intentional parenting. |
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