Over three consecutive Mondays, our Imagine Kids will roll back into school: Walnut Grove this week, York County Schools on August 19, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg on August 26. Our Children’s Minister, Lydia Smith, and Youth
Minister, Tim Gunn, will lead our “Back to School” worship emphasis this Sunday, August 18.
Parents, do you know when your kids need your influence the most? Your kids need your influence the most when they’re making the decisions that are going to matter the most. When our kids are small, we can impose our will because we’re bigger than them. But when it comes to the major decisions of life, size and position (“Because I said so, that’s why”) are almost completely irrelevant. It’s all about the health, and the depth, of the relationship we have developed with our sons and daughters.
Some parents may depend on bribery or guilt, but the dynamic that works best is that of influence with your children. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Parents, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” The little Greek word for “bring them up” is really the word “nourish.” It means to nourish, or replenish, or to build into, to invest into. It’s a very relationally rich word!
Your best bet for preparing your children for the future (that is, bringing them up in the training of the Lord) will come through relational channels, not “I’m bigger and more powerful than you” channels. The goal is to maintain relationship so that you can maintain influence. And if we do that well, then years from now, when they’re older and they don’t have to come home anymore, they will still want to come home.
