Be Consistent

January 24, 2008

A few months before our first child was born, we bought a book entitled “The Complete Book of Baby and Child Care for Christian Parents” by Grace Ketterman M.D. and Herbert Ketterman M.D. The book really is complete, covering everything from preparing to have a child, nurturing the newborn, treating illnesses, rearing a confident child and much more. We did not read this book cover to cover but used it more as a reference manual. I suppose a great deal has changed in the medical section since that book was published in 1982. However, there is something mentioned early in the book that clearly has not changed. The authors state, “Nurturing your child is a big job- one that encompasses his mind, emotions, and spirit, as well as his body. Protection of your child is not likely to demand walking into a freezing north wind on the plains. It is, however a very cold world into which your children will be born. The selfish, humanistic environment of our culture is an even more deadly threat than frostbite. You must become strong to protect your children from this. Training and guidance are, first of all, and most importantly of all, your responsibility. Training today for the child’s future is awesome, but it is exciting to know that doing it right now will bear good fruit later.”
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I will tell you that it saddens me greatly and grieves me when I see the ravaging effects parental neglect has on children. To be to the point, I am thinking of neglecting spiritual leadership and training. Here is one suggestion- not two or three- but one that if you do as a parent, I believe you will in time reap a reward. Are you ready for it? Two words- Be Consistent! Children learn by seeing something modeled over and over to them. If you consistently pray, read your Bible, come to church, love your family, discipline in love, serve your fellowman, reject the shallow values of this world and embrace a Biblical worldview- guess what- the likelihood is extremely high that your children are going to follow you. You don’t have to be perfect. In fact, consistently admitting your need of God’s grace is important too. May God grant us the grace to be consistent!