5 Things We Should Model For Our Children

 

I know what you’re thinking! There has to be more than 5 things we should model for our children and guess what? YOU ARE RIGHT! But let’s start with these 5. It is so important that we do away with the old “Do as I say, not do as I do” principle that seems to confuse our children on a daily basis. If we allow our children to see us do these 5 things I believe it will place them on a path that will only add peace, joy, and purpose to their lives.

 

  1. Sincere Praise & Worship

Our children need to see us caught up in worship. They need to see us get lost in God and totally consumed with honoring Him. Unfortunately to often our children have their head down looking at an electronic device to keep them occupied, so we can half-way pay attention ourselves. What if we didn’t bring those into the sanctuary? What if we spoke to our children before worship about honoring God as we sing and read scripture? What if we allowed them to see us cry when the Spirit moved in our hearts? What if we took them to the altar with us when we came down for prayer? Our children need to see us honor God with our praise and worship.

What if we spoke to our children before worship about honoring God as we sing and read scripture?

  1. Give Our Offering

How will our children grow up without a selfish spirit, if we don’t show them the importance of giving? Our children need to see us give. We should explain to them why we give and how we always start with a tenth of our earnings (the tithe). When I was small, parents would give children a few coins to put in the basket so we could take part in the offering as well. This is important because it allowed us to grow up understanding that giving is actually a major part of honoring God and it is a form of worship. We must first observe and then teach our children that the most important thing that we can offer to God is our obedient service. We must give ourselves and then give of our substance.

 

  1. Reading Our Bible Away From Church

If the only time our bibles are cracked open is on Sunday morning, we are setting our children up for failure in their walk with God. Our children need to see us consult the “manual” when we are seeking direction or need guidance on how to best lead our families. It is important for our children to see us reading in general because it will create an environment where reading is something that is valued. But when they observe us spending time studying and reading the Word of God, that creates an environment where a relationship with God is cherished! Want to take it a step further? Include them! Spend 5 minutes a day reading the bible together (maybe before school or before bed). If we want to leave them something grand, let’s leave them an understanding that the bible shouldn’t stay closed until we go to church.

 

  1. Praying For Someone Else

This is one of the best ways to ward off the spirit of selfishness. When our children see us lifting up others in prayer, they will do the same. One of my favorite moments observing this was when my oldest son (he was 8 at the time) came into my room and I was sick and in bed and as he lay in bed beside me he said, “Dad, give me your hand.” I was thinking I’m sick and don’t feel like having him practice a karate move on me, but I relented and gave him my hand. He began to pray for me, “God, please heal my dad so he feels better.” How would he know to do this except he’d seen me praying for someone other than myself? Our children need us to show them that prayer is NOT just about rattling off our to-do-list for God, but it is communicating with our loving God how life is going and how we need Him in our lives. One of the greatest things your ears will behold is YOUR CHILD praying for someone other than themselves. Let’s show them how.

Our children need us to show them that prayer is NOT just about rattling off our to-do-list for God

  1. Honoring God With Our Gifts

We’ve all seen the videos of the little children “playing church” and acting like the preacher. We smile and it warms our heart that someone so small could emulate how the preacher sounds. But what if our children saw us rendering our gifts in service to the kingdom and serving others? Do our children hear us sing in the car, but we never sing with the church choir? Do our children see us give in the offering plate but look away from the man or woman on the street corner that needs our aid? Or do our children see us take the knowledge and expertise that we’ve gained (financial literacy, sewing, auto or home repairing, cooking, etc.) and host a workshop at church where we teach what would be a blessing in the lives of many others? God has given us all a gift or in many cases multiple gifts. It is important for us to use them to glorify the kingdom, but it is super important that I children see us doing this and come to understand why we do it. Our obedience will ensure that they will grow up understanding it is a norm to honor God with their gifts. It will be a norm for them to use what they have to pour into the lives of others.

 

Again, this is NOT an exhaustive list of the things we should model for our children, but if we start here, I’m certain our children will grow into men and women that please God.

 

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Want to connect:

Twitter: @ccody3

Email: got2liveright@gmail.com

Looking for a great book that will encourage you on your spiritual journey? Please grab a copy of Recap. It will bless you! http://www.amazon.com/dp/0997547316