Real Parents Are Real Heroes

Raising children is one of the greatest responsibilities ever given to man by God. And it is also one of the most difficult and demanding jobs one can ever have. So, thank you parents for taking up such an important challenge.

The most important missionaries God has are parents, because they are assigned to keep their children from the negative influences of the world and impart to them all the principles of God’s Word at an early age so that “when they grow older, they will not depart from it” (Pr 22:6). 

We are living in a world today where people call evil “good” and good “evil,” as they promote behaviors that the Bible specifically calls harmful. The celebration of perversion and death on demand, are accompanied by a mockery of those who value life and promote traditional values. Remember what John said, “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:20).

And the ones that are the most affected by the evil works of Hollywood and the media are the children. In fact, all the delusion, deception, confusion and destruction are aimed at the children. The apostle Paul said, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

We parents have the opportunity to mold the lives of our children by being a living example of a godly discipline. It takes consistency, patience, endurance and virtually every other God-given gift to rise up to the task. It is hard work to discipline (train) children, to guide and mold them into their highest potential so that they may live out their God-given destiny. But the fruits of those labors of love are eternally rewarding, knowing that our children are strong in true values, sound principles and in love and respect for God and for others.

Paul explains that things will only get worse; “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). We’ve got to take up the challenge for our kids’ sake.

Gold medals are won by athletes, and by coaches alike. Parents are coaches and they also are truly rewarded; their medal doesn’t hang around their neck, but around their heart. They get to enjoy and cherish all the potential they were believing in and paid a mighty price for. Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (Jn 12:24).

Parenting is the most challenging task in one’s life, because it’s a constant sacrifice and unending dying to oneself for the wellbeing of the children. A good acronym for f.a.m.i.l.y is: “Forget About Me, I Love You”. And it’s true in raising children as well as in marriage relationships. Raising a family becomes a work of selfless love. Parents should find their fulfillment, their joy and their life’s greatest accomplishment in their children. Their gratification is in the happy visage of their kids. That’s why raising children is “discipling”. It’s an act of forming and training a WINNER.

You can’t have a happy child without discipline. Discipline requires time most of all, and constant communication. Discipline doesn’t have to be applied with the “rod”, but it has to specify boundaries. Parents must be firm and dole out logical consequences when necessary. When children have no boundaries, they’re confused and unruly. King Solomon’s wisdom cites, “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.” (Pro 13:24). While disciplining is a constant and a vigilant exercise, not disciplining a child can result in much more pain. In other words, the price of regret is always greater than the price of discipline.

If parents don’t make the effort to mold and train their children, the world, the TV, the media and computer games will. In his fallen condition, man cannot accurately determine what is right and wrong. God’s Word is a source of clear and definitive answers on good and evil. It is the one certain source of truth in providing guidance to our kids. “Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

Parents can lead their children to the Lord at a very early age, and children can also be filled with the Spirit at a young age. “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14). There’s a serious tug war going on between God and evil forces, for our children, and we, parents, need to fight for them.

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Here’s a few to lighten things up:

  • I was normal 3 kids ago.
  • Having one child makes you a parent. Having two kids makes you a referee.
  • “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so someone in the house is happy to see you.” – Nora Ephron
  • “Sleep at this point is just a concept, something I’m looking forward to investigating in the future.” – Amy Poehler
  • “Why don’t kids understand that their nap is not for them but for us?” – Kristen Bell
  • “Having children is like living in a frat house – nobody sleeps, everything’s broken, and there’s a lot of throwing up.” – Ray Romano
  • “A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.” – Jerry Seinfeld
  • “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” – Milton Berle
  • My house isn’t messy. It’s custom-designed by a 2-year-old.
  • Boys: Less drama than girls, but harder to keep alive.
  • A toddler can do more in one unsupervised hour than most people can in one day.
  • Silence is golden, until you have kids. The silence is suspicious.
  • Becoming a mother makes you realize that you can do almost anything one-handed.
  • “I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.” – Oprah Winfrey