A September 24, 2018 article by *Newsweek covered the story of one teenager lost at sea for 49 days. The article begins by saying, “Reading the Bible and remembering the advice of his parents gave a teenager cast adrift on the Pacific the motivation to keep fighting for his life.” Scared, tearful, fearful of death, Aldi Adilang (the teenager talked about) remembered his parents telling him to pray during times of distress. And that he did. More news coverage shared that he remembered his parent’s faith and that Aldi turned to the Bible he had with him during the difficult ordeal. He also sang Christian songs. And he managed to apply survival skills to battle hunger and thirst.
Real life stories like this testify to a lot of truths when it comes to Christian parenting, such as:
- Modeling authentic faith before your children is the best thing you can do for your kids.
Authentic faith is never perfect but it’s always true. Living your faith authentically happens by submitting and applying to Scriptural truths you learn as you learn them. Mistakes will happen, yes. Sin will be committed, yes. But genuine faith will move you to grow past those mistakes and to grow stronger as you handle the struggles of sin and its temptations.
To live in all honesty and sincerity before your children, transparent with them even when you fail, and showing them your dependence on the grace of God for victorious Christian living is the best thing you can do for your kids. Why? Because thru your life you show them that living for Christ and pleasing Him is all that possible even when you fail and make mistakes. You also show them that God will support and bless a life lived for Him.
- All the efforts you invest into Christian parenting will bear fruit.
Christian parenting is called that way because the way you parent will be different from the norms of society and its worldly, humanly culture. It may be a bit difficult at times because you are rearing a child in a way that both you and your child are “going against the grain” in so many ways. Biblical values differ, attitudes differ, actions and motivations differ; these all differ from the world’s viewpoints. That is Christian parenting.
Proverbs 22:6 says we are to train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Provide solid, biblical training to your children and when they grow, those values you’ve instilled in their hearts and minds will come back to them in time of need. The verse does not guarantee that your child will be perfect in all his ways, but it does guarantee that truths will be present to guide him back to rightness. Seek and apply God’s wisdom. Bathe your life and that of your child in prayer. Then, allow the Holy Spirit to work everything out.
Persevere and enjoy Christian parenting. And remember that the call to discipleship starts with yourself, then to your family. You can only lead them to the point where you are spiritually at.
https://www.newsweek.com/teenager-drifts-pacific-ocean-7-weeks-wooden-hut-1135117
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