Is Your Child’s Destiny Safe?

By:  Donna Martin

As parents we are constantly doing things to keep our kids safe and healthy.  We want them to grow up big and strong so that they can be successful adults who contribute positively to society.  We buy organic food.  We try to make sure they eat enough fruits and vegetables and not too many sugary snacks.   We make sure they get enough rest.  We buy the best car seats and make sure our kids are buckled up before we drive.  We make sure harmful things around the house are safely locked out of their reach.  We try not to expose them to germs.  We teach them not to talk to strangers.  We put helmets on them when they ride their bikes.  The list could go on and on.  We do all we can to keep our children safe.  But could we be missing something?

Of course all of these things help keep our children safe in this life, but what about eternity?  What can we do in the few short years that our children are in our homes to help them love Jesus and follow him, even when they leave the nest? 

Of course the obvious is to take them to church and that is good and important.  As parents we definitely should be doing that.  However, Eric Geiger reveals in a research done by Lifeway Researchers on how kids grow spiritually, that the biggest influence on young people ages 18-30 that remained active in their Christian walk after leaving home, was the fact that they saw their parents reading the Bible, and they were taught by their parents to read the Bible regularly from ages 0-18.

This makes sense; especially because the Bible is God’s instruction book on how to live.  Are you reading the Bible to your children?  Do they see you reading the Bible?  We spend a lot of time doing other things, but how much time do we spend reading the Bible?

You may say, “I’m so busy, I don’t have time for anything else.  How do I work Bible reading into my schedule?”  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Here are some suggestions:

1.  Read a scripture verse when you sit down together at mealtime, before you say the blessing.  As you eat, talk about what the Bible verse means and how you can apply it to your lives.

2.  At bedtime take a few minutes to read the Bible to your children before you go to bed. I Can Read The Bible: The Joshua Code for Kids by Holly Hawkins Shivers, is great for small children. 

3.  When you travel together in the car, the person who is not driving can read the Bible to the rest of the family. 

4.  Before your child begins working on homework, take a few minutes to study the Bible together.

5.  Many times school aged children are supposed to read for a certain amount of time each night.  Encourage your child to read the Bible during some of this time. The Adventure Bible for Kids  or The Adventure Bible for Early Readers both have great illustrations and are easy for children to read.  There are many other study Bibles especially for children and teenagers.

6.  Make sure that your children see you reading your Bible.

2 Corinthians 4: 18 tells us to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen in temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  Perhaps we should begin to have an eternal perspective when parenting.  That way, our children will more likely be safe not only in this world, but also in the world to come.

The Martins are available to present “Happy Together” Marriage Enrichment Events for churches and organizations.  To schedule an event call Michael at 940-735-1515. They are certified “Prepare/Enrich” Facilitators and are available to work with couples on an individual basis using the “Prepare/Enrich Assessment.”  They publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues.  You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriages.com