14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these children.”
It was a Sunday morning and she was set for Sunday service. Oh how glad she was. Oh how eager she was to be in the house of God. She is twelve years old and in junior secondary school.
She loves to go to church, she enjoys the presence of God and fellowship with her church friends. She is a dedicated usher in the children's church. She's committed to making others smile with her sweet welcome. And today is another Sunday to be in church again.
She rushed to her dad's room and said "dad we are going to be late, I am ready!" Dad replies her with a shocking answer "where do you think you are going?" My friend go inside and read your books your promotional exam starts tomorrow".
My question to parents is this are we living the Bible or leaving the Bible? Are we living the word or living the world? Are we training our children or straining them? What values are we instilling to them?
Jesus has a command as regards parenting "Don't stop them!". Don't keep sending the wrong message by your thoughtless negligence. You are already shaping a thought pattern of wrong values in your children when you stop them from church or service to God. It is important to instill discipline in a child at an early age. Your job is not to stop them that's the devil's job. Your job is to encourage them.
Encourage them to dwell in the house of God. Don't stop them from serving. Don't stop them from attending services. Don't be the mountain before them, for God is determined to make such plain. When you lead them to Christ, lead them to put Christ first too.
Teach them time management rather than choice of academics over God. Teach them to know that the spiritual is always in control of the physical. Position them to know their spirit is more important than their academic pursuit. Let them know that diligence is important and service to God is part of it.
Pursuit of anything at God's expense is utter loss. Success is not measured by level of academic achievements but by level of Grace by the Word at work in one's life.
Let church time be church time.
Let rehearsal time be rehearsal time.
And let study time be study time.
Teach them to master their time and always put God first.
Happy children's day.