Practical Ways to Raise Godly Children

       In an article titled, ‘Our Children, Satan’s Targets’, a group known as Freedom in Christ Ministry asserts that the devil seeks to destroy the family and churches by seducing children away from their parents and from God. In my opinion, this is the most serious threat to the body of Christ and the entire society.  Attacks on children by unclean spirits have reached an endemic level, especially in Western nations. The fact that governments of these countries are actively promoting gender reassignment and gay rights among minors shows the extent to which satan has penetrated their societies. In the United States of America in particular, School Boards are stocking public libraries with gay inspired materials, while teachers with similar bent are indoctrinating their pupils along these lines.

       What should believers in Christ do to protect and insulate their children from this depravity? We find the answer in Deuteronomy 6:6,7, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them dilligently to your sons.” Similarly, Proverbs 22:6 exhorts parents to “Train up a child in the way he should go (teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents), even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

         Was does training entail? According to Oxford Online Dictionary, training refers to the act of teaching a person a particular skill or type of behaviour through practise and instruction over a period of time. The major problem with some parents is that they source wisdom from the world to raise their children. Many of the ideas on child rearing propagated by psychologists and the likes are anti-Scripture. In fact, some of these ideas encourage minors to rebel against the authority of their parents by emphasising their ‘right to be themselves’. In most Western nations, parents have been systematically stripped of their rights to discipline their children. Any type of corporal punishment, especially the use of the cane to disciple a child is tagged ‘child abuse.’ Parents can be jailed or lose custody of their own children for this ‘offence.’

I believe that the best way to raise godly children is to model Christ for them from infancy. Even babies in the womb respond to certain stimulus! If Christian parents assume responsibility for the training of their kids from infancy, they would have sufficiently filled their minds and hearts with godly counsel before the enemy had the opportunity to pollute them. Have we ever bothered to make comparison between how people of other faiths train their children and how we do ours? Muslim and Roman Catholicism are the two faiths I am familiar with. The degree of indoctrination children from these religious backgrounds are exposed to is astounding. Muslim children dare not miss their Islamiyya classes where they internalise the teachings of their religion. The same thing applies to those with Catholic background. That is why it is a Herculean task for a believer in Christ to convince them to abandon their faith.

       Christian parents need to re-evaluate their strategy and seek the wisdom of God to address the situation. All hope is not lost because or God specialises in doing the impossible. In addition, the following practical steps are recommended to help parents raise their children in the fear and nuture of the Lord: 

1. Children should be taught to accept himself or herself as God’s unique creation – All children are unique and should be taught so. They are different with inherent values, and skills. Avoid comparisons between children and harsh criticism. Teach them that God loves them and encourage them to show love to others;
2. Teach them to value others – As they come to realise that they are unique, they should also learn to respect and value others irrespective of their status in life;
3. Teach them that they are called to lead and not to follow- Teach them it is okay to say No and to be different. They should be trained to be confident with leadership and stand for what they believe in. As parents, we should ensure that what they believe mirrors the principles of honesty and integrity. Teach them that true leaders serve humanity (Luke 22:27);
4. Set boundaries very early in their lives – Children’s liberty should be increased on the basis of their sense of responsibility. Appropriate rewards for exemplary conduct will also encourage a child. A pampered child will grow up with a sense of entitlement. Parents should guard against laying the foundation for such negative behaviour. Setting up a strict bedtime routine is an example of a boundary that needs to be followed strictly.
5. Teach your children to trust God to provide for their needs – This can only be effective if they see their parents modeling confidence in God’s providence;
6. Discipline your children in love – Try not to discipline them in anger. Also, do not make empty threats. There should be a balanced approach to discipline. For instance, as a child grows older, parents should learn to communicate/reason more and punish less. Ensure that the punishment is proportionate to the offence. When done right, discipline should create intimacy and not distance;
7. Keep the lines of communication open – When talking to your children, do not be alarmed at whatever you hear. Do not be judgmental. Keep an open mind to enable you stay calm and give practical answers as much as possible. Also, know their friends and families of their friends. When your children feel comfortable talking to you, then you can point them in the right direction;
8. Build a safe haven around them  – Teach them how to avoid inappropriate touches from anyone and to speak up if it ever happens. Let them know that their bodies are temple of God; and
9. Model what you want them to learn – Do not be different from what you are trying to teach them. This is because children tend to mirror what they see, rather than listen to what you tell them. So it is important for parents to walk their talk. To truly raise godly children, you must exhibit the right values. Most importantly, let them see you pray, and learn what love is from how you treat people.

 Example of Godly Parenting

     The story of Susanna Wesley, the mother of Charles and John Wesley is a fitting conclusion to this article. In her book titled, Susanna Wesley – Biography, Susan Pellowe said, “…although she never preached a sermon or published a book or founded a church, she is known as the mother of Methodism. Why? Because two of her sons, John Wesley and Charles Wesley, as children consciuosly or unconsciously, applied the example and teachings and circumstances of their home life.”

Susanna practiced daily devotions throughout her life and in her reply to her son Charles’ letter, she addressed her experience of the depravity of her human nature, and the grace of God. The letter also showed that she had been fully awakened to the spiritual enjoyments for many years. While the children were growing up under her care, she assembled them Sunday afternoon for family services. They would sing a Psalm and then Susanna would read a sermon from her husband’s file or that of her own father followed by another Psalm. At a point, her neighbours began to ask if they could attend. Eventually, her Sunday afternoon service attracted more than 200 people. Besides this, she prayed fervently for her children. Is it any wonder that two of them became great ministers of the Gospel? Parents cannot claim to love their children more than God. If He sanctions discipline, then we must not shy away from applying it to raise up our children.

 In addition to discipline, it is essential that parents soak their children with prayers right from the womb. This is being strategic with prayers. Pray for wisdom to send them to schools approved by God; pray for their career choices; pray for their spouses and even their own children. In this way, the parents become the guardian of their children and wards indeed. May the LORD help all believers to raise up godly children for Him in Yeshua’s name. Amen.

  *****Some materials sourced from https://www.lagosmums.com, 8 Tips On Raising Godly Children in a Changing World; Susanna Wesley, https://www.en.m.wikipedia.org.