What do you want for your children?
According to a survey of more than 5000 parents in 16 countries by the investment bank HSBC, the main thing parents want for their children is happiness. Parents also want their children to become successful, be safe, embrace healthy lifestyles, be responsible, and have great careers.
Parenting with purpose. Do you want what God wants? Are you aligning your goals with God’s will?
God wants children to come to Him (cf. Matthew 19:14). If God wants children to come to Him, then the main thing Christian parents should want for their children is a vibrant relationship with Jesus.
The main thing Christian parents should want for their children is a vibrant relationship with Jesus. Share on XConsider this verse: “Jesus Christ … gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” Titus 2:13-14.
Note the phrase, “that are his very own.” Jesus wants children who are exclusively His – children who will give Him their entire allegiance and wholeheartedly live for Him. In other words, Jesus wants children to be utterly loyal to Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:35) – unattached to the things of the world (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:30-31).
Can children give themselves fully and unreservedly to Jesus? Yes and no. While God isn’t limited in empowering children to live for Him, it usually takes a lifetime for a person to learn how to do it.
How do you parent with purpose?
Here are ten considerations:
Champion Jesus.
Your primary parenting task is to help children be exclusively devoted to Jesus and fully committed citizens in His kingdom.
Don’t profess what you don’t possess.
Pursue a Jesus-filled and Jesus-honouring lifestyle. Root out hypocrisy. Turn your back on godless, self-indulgent routines.
Be filled with the Spirit.
You and your children can’t love or live for Jesus without the strength He provides. Ask God to fill you with His Spirit (cf. Ephesians 5:18).
You and your children can’t love or live for Jesus without the strength He provides. Share on XRely totally on Jesus’ grace and mercy.
Being exclusively devoted to Jesus is an inside job that requires complete dependence on the kindness, compassion and unmerited favour of Christ.
Regularly and actively engage with the Bible and pray.
Bible engagement and prayer don’t happen ad hoc. Teach, model and encourage these spiritual disciplines (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
Be patient.
Seeing your children exclusively devoted to Jesus won’t transpire in a week, a month, or a year. It’s a process.
Stay focused on the end goal.
If there’s no struggle, there’s no progress. As your children grow in their devotion to Jesus, they may encounter setbacks.
Be intentional.
You have 936 weeks to do what you need to do! Don’t squander your time with your children. What are you doing this week to connect your children with Jesus and His Story?
You have 936 weeks to connect your children with Jesus and His Story. Don't squander your time with them! Share on XRecognize your powerlessness.
To do what God’s called you to do as a parent, embrace the reality that you are helpless and hopeless without Christ.
Don’t give up.
Jesus wants your children to live for Him more than you want them to. So, as you parent, fix your “eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” Hebrews 12:2.
What suggestions do you have about parenting with purpose? Please share in the comments.
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Summary
Most parents desire happiness, success, safety, and healthy lifestyles for their children, but for Christian parents, the most important goal should be nurturing a vibrant relationship with Jesus. The article emphasizes that Christian parenting should guide children to be wholly devoted to Christ, model a Jesus-centred life, and rely on His grace for strength. Parents are encouraged to be intentional, patient, and consistent in teaching their children spiritual disciplines like Bible reading and prayer, while staying focused on the long-term goal of raising children who are loyal and committed to God. Ultimately, the article calls for parents to trust in God’s power, knowing He wants children to love and live for Him more than they do.
FAQ 1. What is the most important goal of Christian parenting?
The most important goal of Christian parenting is helping children develop a vibrant, lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. While many parents prioritize happiness, success, and safety, Scripture calls parents to raise children who belong fully to Christ and live devoted to Him (Matthew 19:14; Titus 2:13-14).
FAQ 2. How can parents raise children who love and follow Jesus?
Parents can raise Christ-centred children by intentionally modelling faith, engaging regularly with Scripture and prayer, relying on the Holy Spirit, and living consistently with biblical values. Parenting with purpose involves daily discipleship, spiritual habits, and pointing children toward Jesus in both words and actions (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
FAQ 3. Why is intentionality important in Christian parenting?
Intentionality is essential because spiritual formation doesn’t happen by accident. Parents have limited time to influence their children, making each season significant in shaping faith. By staying focused on Jesus, depending on His grace, and persevering through challenges, parents help guide their children toward lasting devotion to Christ (Hebrews 12:2).
© Scripture Union, 2024
2 Responses
My boys are 25 and 20 respectively. I realize only too late of such precious lessons. Am I already out of the parenting game?
Once a parent, always a parent. We are never “out of the parenting game” though it is significantly different in each season of our children’s lives.