Your Child--- A Trust From God Series

YOUR CHILD - - - A TRUST FROM GOD

Psalm 127:3; Malachi 2:15; Selected Others

“Why does God entrust us with children?” Or stated differently, “What is the goal or purpose of parenting?” In preparation for this series on Christian parenting, I have read or skimmed dozens of books, articles, web sites and essays on Christian parenting. Many of them are good. But I have made an interesting discovery: very few spend any time or space on the biblical purpose of having children or God’s goals for parenting. Most teach ways to succeed but never define success. Successful parenting is more than survival.

BIG IDEA: PARENTING IS TO BE PURPOSE DRIVEN!

When we lose sight of our purpose or where we are supposed to going in the mission of parenting we begin to substitute any number of approaches to parenting:

(Note: see Bruce Wilkinson, Spritual Breakthroughs for more development of these. I have adapted some of his to this message)

1. Ostrich Approach --- Bruce Wilkinson calls this the close-your-eyes-and-hope-for-the-best-parent.

Just take care of basic needs, shuttle them around, feed them keep clothes on their backs and look the other way… it will all work out in the end.

2. Delegator Approach--- Believing that good leadership always means delegation, this parent uses others to raise his or her children: childcare, day care, schools, camps, counselors, scouts, coaches, church and anyone else out there they can delegate parental responsibility to raise their children.

3. Neiman Marcus Approach --- This parent believes that if he or she just provides the child with the best of everything then all the child’s needs will be met. Nothing but the best for my child – clothes, toys, schools, a car ….

4. Warden Approach --- This parent runs a tight ship like the Von Trapp father in Sound of music. These drill instructor parents focus on keeping all external behavior in line with a detailed set of rules. Their kids would describe them as rigid, critical, meddling and angry.

5. Busy Bee Approach --- Kids need to learn how to program mom and dad’s palm pilot just to get time with them. This parent’s focus is career advancement not kids. (And it is often justified because of the kids).

6. Church Mouse Approach --- This parent believes that the more time the kid spends in church, Sunday school and youth group, the better off they will turn out. There is some truth to that but sometimes church is used like punishment. ILL: Me & counseling --- Why are you here? Parents are making me talk to you. So I am your punishment. Yup! Go home. Come back when you want to grow up and want to talk with me… You want to go or stay? Stayed…

7. Taxi Cab Approach --- Parenting is simply a transportation problem. They believe that lining up a full calendar of events and activities is what makes a successful family: (Sports, music, drama, dance, cooking, woodworking, karate, youth group. These worn out parents aren’t purpose driven, they are activity driven --- driving theirs kids anywhere and everywhere.

We can all see a little bit of ourselves in some of these. But underlying these are truth-deficient approaches to parenting often lurks a sinful compromise: slothfulness, self-centeredness, greed, materialism, fear, legalism and irresponsibility. (Bruce Wilkinson, Experiencing Spiritual BreakThroughs, 204)

PROP: PARENTING IS TO BE PURPOSE DRIVEN

All that we do is to be driven by the over-all purposes God has given us for parenting.

TRANS: ASK AND ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS: “WHY?” and “HOW?”

1. Why? “Why does God entrust us with children?” (purposes and goals)

2. How? “How do we go about that?”

1. WHY? --- “WHY DOES GOD ENTRUST US WITH CHILDREN?” (PURPOSES AND GOALS)

If parenting is to be purpose driven then we must understand God’s purpose (s);

Purpose Statement

Parents are entrusted with children to raise up godly offspring

in order to powerfully influence the world for Jesus Christ.

1. God entrusts Us With Children….

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a (His) reward.

Psalm 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.”

Your children are God’s most serious assignment in your life.

“Gift/ heritage” = that which may be passed on as a permanent inheritance, but an inheritance

in the sense of a trust. In law = ‘the confidence reposed in a person by giving him nominal ownership of something, which he is to keep, use and or administer for another’s benefit (in this case Gods’s). Something that belongs to another but has been entrusted to you

for you to care for, for you to teach, for you to love, for you train up, for you to protect… but in accordance with the instructions of the giver… the true owner: God the creator…