What I Want for my Children
What if I asked you, “What’s the most important thing you want for your children?”
What exactly would you say?
I think there’s many, many wonderful answers to this question. We could answer that we want our children to be successful; compassionate for all people; smart or humble. We could hope that they go to Harvard or hope that they make straight A’s in school. We could hope that they receive an athletic scholarship so we can bask in our old glory days while we cheer for them, or even hope that they will change the world with their intelligence and passions. We can just hope for their happiness and health.
While in many ways there’s really no wrong answer to the question, I’m now beginning to realize exactly what my answer would be. Is it the right and perfect answer? Well I think many would say so, but then many would disagree. I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
It’s very simple, what I want for my children is to get them into the gates of Heaven.
Sure I can hope for many other wonderful things for my children, but at the end of the day, those things will not matter. What matters most importantly is the foundation of faith and virtue that I have laid before them. Did I give them a solid foundation to build upon? Will they be like Peter on the rock? Will they become fishermen of people? Will they know who their shepherd is?
My children will never be perfect and will fall short and be broken sinners each and every day. My job is to steward them in a way that will give them the tools to know how to equip themselves for the gates of Heaven and how to turn back to Jesus when they fall. If I don’t first stop and teach it to them, day after day, then how can they come back to their core in their times of struggle? I have to teach them the foundation.
There’s not enough science, politics or textbooks to teach my children exactly what they need in this lifetime. There’s not enough chore charts, rewards stickers or lollipops to raise them up as they should be. Those things are valuable and wonderful, but it simply isn’t enough. There’s only one ultimate parenting book to live by and ultimately, I am the teacher to bring it to the table. I am the steward to open the bible and teach my children just want God wanted us to hear. We, the parents, are the ones to help get our children into heaven. We can’t leave it solely up to our churches, weekly catechism visits or sporadic outings to church for the holidays. We have to bring it to the table daily, growing in our own faith as well, as we strive teach our children.
Will we fail at times? Absolutely. Will our children always listen? Absolutely not. But our quivers are full and just like arrows, our children will come back to us and ultimately come back to their core foundation if we’ve laid it all out for them. They will find comfort in the faith that they’ve built their life upon, no matter how little that faith may be at times.
So there’s a lot of things I could teach my children.
But if I haven’t taught them the good news, then what have I really taught them?
There’s a lot of wonderful places I can hope for my children to go. I can hope for fancy colleges, big desk offices or esteemed groups.
But if I haven’t taught them how to get to Heaven, then what have I really taught them?
There’s a lot of people in this world that will tell us to think otherwise and not base our decisions on faith alone.
But if we don’t have faith and live by faith, then what are we really living for?
You see, this isn’t our home. This is just our temporary home and we’re passing by. My mission is to be a good steward for my family and raise my children for God’s glory and not the world’s glory. We are children of God, not children of this world.
So if I haven’t taught them to stand up for their faith, spread God’s love for all people and live by His word, then I’ve failed. If I’ve only focused on raising change seekers and not faith seekers, then I’ve failed. I’m just trying to get my kids to heaven. And I’m hoping to spread God’s love and His news as we pass on by, soaking in the rays of His light, dancing in the fields of His mercy and living by the words of His truth.
PIN US BELOW
