Someone once said, “It’s a parent’s responsibility to make sure their children have godly parents.” So, how can you be a godly parent? Here are five brief suggestions:
Love Jesus.
First and foremost, let’s center our marriages, parenting, and family life on Jesus. The joy and fulfillment that come from this choice are unparalleled. Every family challenge, concern, or issue finds its solution in one person—Jesus. Prioritize the Lord (Matthew 22:37). When life revolves around you instead of around Jesus, your selfishness is a stumbling block to the well-being of the family.
Love each other.
Professor and philosopher Felix Adler said, “The family is the school of duties . . . founded on love.” Most spouses don’t have a designated weekly “marriage time” when they spend quality time with each other. Quality time is quantity time. The average father spends +6 hours, and the average mother spends +12 hours a week with their children. Love is an action. Spend time talking, show acceptance and appreciation, establish mutual trust and unity, set a good example, be understanding, and look out for each other’s best interests (Romans 12:10).
To learn more, read What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?
Establish God’s priorities.
God’s chain of command for a thriving family starts with Jesus Christ as the head of the home, with the wife and husband under His authority and the children in turn under their parents’ authority. Ephesians 5:21 says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 6:1-4 says, “Children, obey your parents . . . Honour your father and mother . . . Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Don’t commit adultery.
An estimated 20 to 25 percent of married Christians admit to having engaged in extramarital affairs. Avoid temptation (Proverbs 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 6:18). Don’t be misled. Adultery destroys a marriage. It is a sin against God and against your spouse (Deuteronomy 5:18). Ray Pritchard, president of Keep Believing Ministries, reminds us, “It has always been true that the best defence against adultery is a happy marriage.”
Do things together.
Worship, read the Bible, and attend church together. Take vacations, enjoy one another, and eat meals together. Shared experiences create beautiful memories and strengthen bonds within the family. Someone once said, “The family altar would alter many a family.” And someone else reminds us, “The family that prays together stays together.”
To be a godly parent, you should also seek parenting advice from God’s Word, pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), trust your children to God, keep what’s good in and what’s bad out, model forgiveness, frequently express gratitude, and extend grace to your children.
We’ll leave the final word to the Christian parenting author Paul Tripp: “So your hope as a parent is not found in your power, your wisdom, your character, your experience, or your success, but in this one thing alone: the presence of your Lord. The Creator, Savior, Almighty, Sovereign King is with you. Let your heart rest. You are not in this parenting drama alone. Your potential is greater than the size of your weaknesses because the One who is without weakness is with you, and he does his best work through those who admit that they are weak but in weakness still heed his call.”
Much more could be said. Please share your suggestions for being a godly parent in the comments below.
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Summary
Seeking godly parenting advice? Center your family on Jesus, prioritize love and respect, and establish biblical priorities like discipline and prayer (Ephesians 6:4). Avoid pitfalls like adultery and nurture family bonds through worship and shared time. Discover how to raise children in faith and learn Christian parenting tips for lasting impact.
© Scripture Union, 2024
One Response
Great read addressing the core issues of families in out times. Each spouses’ individual love for God reflected in their love for each other and then onward to the children is the key to a Godly marriage and Godly parenting.
The family that plays and prays together stays together …. because if we play with our children then they will be more than willing to pray with us…