“God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again” (Philippians 1:6, NCV).
I once heard it said that having a child is akin to having your heart walk outside of your body. The process of raising children is rich with emotion. As a parent, your soul rises and falls as your daughter or son experiences the joys and sorrows of life.
The love we feel for our kids is so palpable that we cringe at the thought of failure. What if I don’t get it right as a parent? What if my best efforts aren’t good enough?
Yet here is what I know. Most of our fears as parents are based on doing. The Scriptures, however, encourage each of us to center our attention on being. The central question we should be asking is: What kind of parent do I want to be?
The truth is that who you are matters more than what you do. St. Francis of Assisi once said:
It is no use walking anywhere to preach
unless our walking is our preaching.
My wife, Cathy, and I targeted two primary characteristics we wanted our three children to engender. Our greatest hope is that they would love God with their entire being, and be respectful of and kind to all persons, regardless of culture, color, or creed. But for our kids to embody these virtues, Cathy and I had to emulate them.
Did we always get it right? Not a chance. However, we leaned on God’s promise that the good work He began in us, God eventually would bring to completion in our children.
God knows that as parents we are not perfect. No one is. But like an artist who chips away at the rough edges of a sculpture, God is shaping us and the generations that follow into the perfect image of His Son.
So, be encouraged. Be confident that you are not alone in the struggle. Know that there is One who is partnering with you to direct your child—down the right path.