We Can't Leave Our Kids To Chance

First Chronicles 29:19 says…

Read 1 Chronicles 29:19.

This is part of prayer that David prayed shortly before his death. His son Solomon was about to become king of Israel. Wars and expansion of the nation had marked the time of David as king. Peace had come to the land as David’s reign wound down. It was a golden age for Israel. Even though Solomon was probably a young man at the time this occurred, we can take some things away from David’s prayer for his son.

We see here the prayer of father for his son. David knew the stresses and strains of being king. He knew the pitfalls that exist for kings. He knew the immense responsibility that the king had. Contrary to some mythical views of kings, it wasn’t easy for someone to be king. There was a large amount of responsibility. It wasn’t all banquets and foxhunts for kings. It was hard work.

There is much to be learned about influencing our children. The first thing is to have…

I. CONCERN for our kids.

David shows concern for his son. David wasn’t going to be around when Solomon was king, so why the concern? This was his own flesh and blood. David had committed a sin some years earlier, and as a result his family was messed up. Solomon was a bright spot in the family that was so messed up.

We can understand also that David wanted his son to be successful. We all want that for our kids. It is the dream of every parent for their child to have a better life than they did. We are concerned for our child. We care about them.

A. We care about their DIET.

We watch what our kids eat and drink. We make sure they get enough vegetables and meat, and not too much junk food.

When I was a kid, I had to clean my plate before I got dessert. I had to choke down the green beans before I could get the chocolate ice cream. My parents weren’t being cruel; they were simply making sure that I was getting a well-balanced diet.

We are concerned about what our kids eat when they are at school. We get upset with the school if they try to count ketchup as a vegetable. We care about what our kids put in their bodies.

B. We care about their EDUCATION.

Some parents have gone to the extent that they have started teaching their kids at home because of concerns over what is taught in the schools. We care about education. We want to know that our kids are being taught to read, write, add and subtract. When some in the education establishment start saying that it’s okay if our child think 2+2=5. We are up in arms about that.

One of the first things out of a parent’s mouth after a child comes home from school is, “What did you learn at school today?”

Political candidates try to gain votes by saying that they are the “education candidate.” We care about what goes into their minds.

C. We care about their FRIENDS.

We are concerned about who our kids hang around with. My mom used to say things like, “I don’t know if he is a good influence on you.” My parents didn’t want me hanging around with anyone. They were concerned that my friends were well mannered and a good influence.

We keep an eye on who our kids friends are. We are concerned about who they are with.

D. We care about their HABITS.

We make sure our kids have good habits. We get them (or try to get them) to go to bed on time and develop good sleeping habits. We buy them desks and computers so they will develop good study habits.

When they are older we watch for signs of drug use and other things that may be detrimental to their well being.

We are concerned about what they do.

E. We care about their FUTURE.

We take part of our income and save it for our kids’ use with a college education. We may help them get their first job or first car. We help them make a budget when they get out on their own. We want our kids to get a good job. We want our kids to make a good choice when they decide to get married. We want our kids’ future to be safe and secure.

What about their eternal future? Do we care as much about our kids’ relationship with God as we do about what kind of job they will get? Do we care where they will spend eternity? We should.

The greatest concern we should have for our kids is their eternal destiny. As important as their diet, education, friends, habits and future are, their eternal fate is much more important. What can we do about that? The answer is…