60 Seconds – Parenting

A crab said to her son, “Why do you walk so one-sided? It is far better to walk straight ahead.” The young crab replied, “Quite true, mother. If you will show me how to walk properly, I will certainly try to follow.”

We read in Ephesians 6:4, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” The word fathers here, is the same Greek word translated parents in Hebrews 11:23, “By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents.” In one place it is translated fathers, and in another place it is translated parents. This would lead us to believe that the “training and admonition of the Lord” responsibility applies to both parents. “Bring them up” is a phrase that implies a serious responsibility. “Training” means “correction.” Ephesians 6:4 is telling parents to take control, and be vigilant and watchful for their children’s spiritual, mental, and physical well-being.

Luther Burbank stated, “If we paid no more attention to our plants than we have to our children, we would now be living in a jungle of weeds.” Hebrews 11:7 stated, “By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” William Booth’s wife, Catherine, dogmatically expressed, “I will not be the mother of a wicked child!” She was not, and the Salvation Army still stands as a monument to her faith and to that of her husband.

Joshua declared, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). The Holy Spirit brought these words to the mind of young James Taylor on the morning of his wedding day, February 1, 1776. Though he had lived a worldly life, even resisting those of the Methodist revival, God spoke to him on that momentous day. He yielded to God, and was born again, saying, “Yes, we will serve the Lord.” His bride was confused, but was soon converted to Christ, and they built a Christian home together. James was the great-grandfather of James Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, showing again that holy influences flow down to generations to come.

“The character of your children’s tomorrow depends on what you put in their hearts today.”