September 27, 2021 – Click here to listen
So, I received a letter from a lady that simply asked me to tell her how I raised my kids in such a manner that they turned out so well.
Hmmm . . . That might take writing an entire book to do a proper job with it, but I tried to think of the most important lessons I taught my kids. I took the approach that was opposite of the way I was raised. I loved my kids with all my heart and still do. I would literally offer my life in exchange for them and/or their mother and that isn’t idle talk and prattle.
I put God first in my life and second to that I put my family, career, and health. After that, I put everything else, friends, hobbies, etc. It is when I got them out of order that I noticed that I failed. An example would be to work on Sunday instead of resting and worshiping God.
In putting God first, I studied the Bible daily. I found most of the wisdom needed to raise a family in Proverbs. I took things like Proverbs 13:24 literally – Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. I did not use discipline as sport like my father did on me, but it was enough that they did not desire to revisit it again.
My kids watched me attend church on Sunday, study the Bible, and say grace before every meal, even in restaurants. I didn’t just preach to them but tried to live the life I was espousing. When I failed, I tried to explain my shortcomings and told them it was part of life to sin, but they should feel bad about it and vow not to repeat it after they asked God for forgiveness. They knew and I knew I wasn’t perfect and neither was anyone else on the planet, the important thing was to go to their Father Jesus and ask his forgiveness and try to do better next time the best they knew how.
Finally, I credit my wife as key in being the loving mother who cherished our kids. She was instrumental in caring for them when I was off to the “pit” earning a living and she loves them with a love only a mother can love. I thank God for her and consider her and my kids the greatest gift in life aside from Jesus. They were the center of our life and still are to the extent possible.
Finally, there is no question that God blessed me. I did not deserve it, but He did it because He loved me. For that, I will be eternally grateful. There you have the five-minute version. I hope it makes sense.
Proverbs 22:5
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.