Do Parents exist for children?

Psalm 127:3 affirms that “children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”** Children are a blessing from God but the bigger responsibility is on parents. Parents exist for children – “to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” according to Eph. 6:4.

I think too many parents today think that their children exist only to please them. This is not the case and only leads to frustration.

Instead, a biblical mindset is that Parents exist to train, teach, instruct, and to raise Godly offspring for God’s purposes. These children are the “property of God” not the parents: parents are merely “stewards” or “managers” NOT owners!

God is the owner of a child. He alone created that child for His own glory. Parents exist to train the child to know Him understanding that God alone changes the human heart and illuminates one’s understanding to know Him. Nonetheless, God has given the responsibility to parents to point their children to Christ. We, Parents, need to have a mindset that we exist for our children rather than a mindset that our children are here to please or entertain us.

Please post either some parenting stories or advice to encourage us all in the Lord today!

Share your thoughts here

-Mark (grateful to be a parent, but awed by the responsibility it entails!)

**The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.). Good News Publishers: Wheaton.