Leading Your Children to the Blessed Life

​“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” – Psalms 1:1-3
 
Raising children has never been an easy task. There has always been the influence of evil, the temptations of sin and the pressure to conform to immoral ways. However, today our kids are connected to the vast world of influence as never before through technology. As a Christian parent it is my desire and responsibility to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) I pray that they would not be comfort to this world (Rom. 12:2) but to be fashioned into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). In other words, that they would live by the principles and values of Christ and not the world’s.
 
Notice the verses above from Psalms 1. The counsel (advice, philosophy) of the ungodly leads to living in the way of sinners and eventually to even scorning or mocking the ways of God. Sadly our children are bombarded daily with a philosophy that is contrary to the Bible. They are enticed by the way of sin and often exposed to those who ridicule God and the Bible. How does a parent combat this influence?
 
You cannot sit idly on the sidelines and hope for the best. If you don’t rear your children, others will! Godly standards in the home are important to protect and teach Christian values. Many parents sit passively by and allow the counsel of the ungodly into their homes through TV, videos, music and other media. Friendships have to be monitored and a good example must be set by us. Your church is a great ally you should cherish. However, church cannot make up for absent parenting. Biblical parenting is about cultivating a child’s heart—in a relationship with the parent and for a relationship with God. Behavior matters (of course), but any lasting change begins with reaching the heart. As stated in the Psalm, the Word of God offsets the influence of the ungodly. Help your children to develop a heart for God and therefore a respect for the Bible and to understand that the boundaries you set up are based on the Bible. This will enable them to embrace Bible principles and apply them to all areas of life.