Hope

Every trade has its tools and tricks to accomplish the tasks at hand.  An experienced carpenter may use a tic stick to transfer the lines of a trim or side wall profile onto a new sheet of plywood.  A plumber may pull out a thin braided wire with a finger loop at each end, to cut a plastic pipe that is in a tight spot.  Loggers wear steel tipped boots to protect their feet, and know how to handle a bell loader safely.

            God had equipped every parent with the tools and tricks of the trade to accomplish their tasks with raising godly children.  No Dr. Spock or government intervention required.  Just as a carpenter or a plumber may botch a job and learn from their mistakes, a parent can learn from theirs and complete the ‘project’ of raising effective godly young people.  When parents screw up with kids as a carpenter sometimes does with a task, it does not mean that the project is doomed; it may be that just a little remodel needs to take place.  When parents use God’s word as a blueprint to raising godly children, they are in fact, just like a master tradesman, using the best tools and tricks of the trade par none.

            Where we run into trouble with our children, it usually involves hypocrisies ‘do as I say, not what I do’ issues.  Or in moments of blindness, weakness, neglect or distraction we allow in different degrees ungodly cultural habits or practices to come into our home.  When we wake up to the fact that this has happened, we sometimes are passive or tolerant in allowing them to stay.  It is not till we see negative adverse effects in our children that we may try to remedy our mistake.  And at times when we are tired and weak, we may not even try because we all know how hard it is to catch a cat that has been let out of the bag.

            Parenting is not easy, especially when you are holding the standards of godly parents raising godly children in these times.  I have found that raising teenagers is by far more difficult for me than raising several children still in diapers.  The demand for my services as a priest, provider, protector, and prophet are at an all time high when I have teenagers in the house.  Although it is hard at times for me to be the father that God has called me to be, it is not impossible.  He says in Deuteronomy 11:19 that we are to “Teach (God’s precepts) to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  Ephesians 6:4 instructs fathers to “…not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” There is no crapshoot or chance that has been added to this endeavor.  It is written that when we do these things our children will not depart from His ways.  This gives me as a father, hope.