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Wisdom for Successful Parenting
by James Aidoo-BaidoeRelationships are paramount to successful parenting. Most important is our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Children will notice when we show our love for the Lord by trying to speak and act in ways that please Him. As we grow in our faith, our ability to be godly parents will grow too.
The relationships we have with other adults – spouses, relatives and friends – are also important. Children learn important values when they recognise the priority we place on godly friends and see Christ’s love and forgiveness demonstrated in these relationships.
Connecting our children with other believers in and out of church is one way that we parent them: through the lives of godly people, our children come to grab what “following Jesus” means. They even learn important truths when we converse with believers in their presence, discussing spiritual matters and ways we have been blessed.
Then there is the relationship we have with our children themselves. How we interact with them communicate volumes about the love of our Heavenly Father, the sacrificial life of our saviour and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
We are to love them, pray for them even when they behave in unlovely ways, and our reactions to their mistakes should be firm, but at the same time patient and calm. And when we ourselves mess up, we can demonstrate the Spirit’s influence by asking for their forgiveness and beginning again.
If we want our children to have a vibrant relationship with Christ, we must model His grace as we create an atmosphere of freedom in which healthy risk-taking is promoted. Devote time aside and spend quality time with them. Remember that children are a blessing, a gift from God.
Our kids should know that when they are in our presence – even when they have made mistakes or bad choices, they would be loved, forgiven and encouraged.
Start investing in these relationships and you will no doubt reap a rich return from your children.
God bless!
James offers information on best-selling Christian books, CDs and other resources at his online Christian bookstore to encourage you in your Christian walk.
You can visit his website at: www.wizewaysbooks.com
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