The weeks of late spring/early summer bring important events to our family calendars, particularly Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Vacation Bible School. Families and churches, not to mention gift shops and florists, pause to commemorate the love and devotion of parents for their children. Although we might hesitate at the commercialization of these two special events, we all agree that celebrating parents and families is good, even biblical when we recall the “Honor thy father and thy mother” statement found in Exodus. Additionally, VBS provides an opportunity to expose and engage families with the Gospel as it’s taught and displayed in a variety of ways, such as lessons, puppets, and missionary stories. VBS becomes a time when young people frequently receive Christ as Savior or, if already born again, can grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Bible and the Lord’s call upon their lives.
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and VBS are all significant, not just because they provide fun experiences, shared memories, and photo opportunities, but more importantly, because they reflect the biblical truth that there is a special connection between faith and family. It’s a relationship that was designed by God in the beginning with Adam & Eve, echoed in the Ten Commandments, referenced in the Psalms & Proverbs, described in the parables of Christ, and explained in the inspired writings of the Apostles. Additionally, familiar words, such as father, brother, sister, family, child, son, and home,have application to the family-unit and to biblical faith.
The Scripture is clear to teach that the responsibility of creating a family environment of faith is placed squarely on the shoulders of the parents. It’s the parents who set the priorities that reflect what’s important in raising the children. Parents make the choices regarding how time is used and how money is spent, they decide where to go and what to do. They resolve how faith will integrate into the family and to what degree, if any, biblical values are prioritized.
Being a parent is demanding physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually. It’s not easy, but it can be wonderfully rewarding. However, parenting becomes an even more difficult task when done without biblical principles and guidelines of truth to structure the family and rear the children.
A recent search of Amazon’s website using the phrase “parenting books” revealed more than three dozen categories and a total of more than sixty-thousand results. Categories spanned a wide spectrum of ideas, research, trends, and “how to” topics. After a brief survey of the results, it was easy to arrive at a conclusion…parentingmust be one of the most written about subjects of all time. But when you think about it, that shouldn’t be a surprise. The typical goal is to be a “good” parent, and in that pursuit of “good,” people, especially first-time parents, are looking for guidance and advice, of which, there is certainly an abundance of resources.
However, as Christians, let us notfall prey to the “abundance of resources” about parenting which are built upon the shifting sand and feeble foundation of worldly, and even anti-God beliefs. The goal of Christian parents is not just to be good, but rather to be godly… intentional and purposeful in creating an environment where Christ is honored, biblical-truth is valued, and church is prioritized. Establishing such an environment is a recipe that can keep a family grounded in truth, abounding in love, and growing in the Gospel. May we strive to make our homes a place where God’s truth is regularly sewn into the hearts and minds of our children and our children’s children.- Dr. Harlie Miller // Associate Pastor
