2026-09-11
Good morning, Dear Ones,
The Holy Spirit is directing me to write about righteous parenting. He has a lot to say on this vital topic, so it might take me more than one week to share it all. To begin, we must look at why this topic is so vital. If one looks at the news or other media, it is obvious that there is far too much violence going on around us. If we ask ourselves why, it isn’t hard to discern that the proliferation of two parents working outside the home, families that don’t at least share dinner together, attend a place of worship regularly, young people coming home from school to an empty house, parents who are either going through a divorce or are living apart, the issues of blended families, access to guns and drugs, poverty, war, unwanted children who are the products of fornication, and so on. Sadly, this is the world that many of our young people must endure. It isn’t a very pretty picture, but it is the genesis of the society in which we live.
To be sure, the problems mentioned above are contrary to the Lord’s will for us. So, what does the Lord want for us? Children are a gift to us, one that should bring about a huge change in our priorities. They are only with us for a short time (an average of 18 years). Nurturing them as babies can take many forms, depending on the age of the child. We have four parts of a developing person—our intellect, our physical selves, our emotions, and our spiritual lives. All too often, one or more of these is neglected or abused. From newborns until they learn to walk, a child’s needs are mostly physical and emotional. Touching and holding are essential to a baby’s wellbeing. These physical things can’t happen if the parents are absent too soon due to work or other demands. Our Lord stresses the importance of love in 1 COR 13: 4-8a, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Once the child learns to walk, blending love with discipline becomes a necessity. A child learns things like not running out into the street, for the protection of his life. The training of the intellect begins in earnest—learning the alphabet, the colors, and eventually the numbers. All the while, a toddler weaned from formula or breast milk learns to eat different foods and to share with other children. A caring parent will find out if his child has allergies, or other special needs guided by a pediatrician. Just as patience is required by parents in teaching toilet training and a baby’s sleeping through the night, it is needed throughout a child’s development. COL 3: 15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as member of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” HE 12: 11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
My own memories of my childhood weren’t always happy. On one occasion, my parents were expecting company from out of state. Always a curious wanderer, I left home with a girlfriend to play explorer and lost track of the time. When it started to get dark, my parents went out looking for me. I was walking down the alley behind our house on my way home and was met by a neighbor who told me to get home right away. My angry parents scolded me and sent me to bed without supper that night. This incident has stuck in my mind all these years. Of course, once I was grown, and a parent myself, I realized they were trying to protect me and had every right to be upset. As a child, no explanations were given with parental emotions high. I raised my child to wear a watch, get home in time for dinner, and let us know where he was at all times.
PRAYER: Dearest Lord, there are no set handbooks except Your word for how to parent a child. It is the most important task we will have in this life on earth. Yet, many adults with children don’t make it a priority. If we must make a choice between having more things or having better, more disciplined and happier children, You tell us which matters more. The increasing materialism and sinfulness of our society indicate the wrong choices are often being made. PR 22: 6, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” For those of us who are still rearing children or grandchildren, let us heed this advice for the sake of those impacted by it. We love and praise You for such wisdom and love, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: There is so much we must do to rear a child righteously. Next week, I am led to write about the need to bring love of the Lord into our efforts. We must remember, PS 103: 13, “The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who love Him.” PS 116: 5, “Our God is kind and does what is right; our God is merciful.” How blessed we are to have His handbook, His love letter to us, the Bible! Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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