Expect Children to Be Children

Preacher:
Date: June 8, 2015

Bible Text: Galatians 6:9 | Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | My husband and I do a lot of parenting seminars, sharing principles of how to raise godly children in an ungodly world. We make these times with parents intensely practical, knowing from our own experience that the principles work.

But, having said that, I also want to say that it’s very easy to give the impression that all you have to do it follow a few simple rules for parenting, and, presto, your kids become courteous and thoughtful. It’s important that you realize that effective parenting takes time—and consistency—and much prayer.

Sometimes parents get discouraged because they’ve faithfully followed the “plan” for awhile, but they still don’t have a child who responds as an adult. Take it from me that it takes years before children achieve the maturity that we parents want for them.

Terri Maxwell, who has a great website called Titus2.com, puts it this way. “I have finally come to realize a profound truth: expect children to be children! They simply do not yet have hearts that can respond to the Lord with the same maturity that adults do. The growth will come, but it is a process of the Lord that continues throughout childhood.”

Terri goes on, “Let’s not forget …that [God] is the one Who designed the growth and maturity process of a child…. Getting at a child’s heart issues is a constant, daily process: we must continue (over and over) to repeat God’s truth to our children in a sweet and winsome way – year after year after year!” Right on, Terri!

If you’re smack-dab in the middle of the parenting process, be encouraged by Galatians 6:9, which says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

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