Benefits Versus Purpose

As followers of Jesus, our objective in parenting is so very clear and very simple. It’s not easy, but it’s not complicated either. There is little room for confusion or being overwhelmed by choices about how to be an intentional, Spirit-filled parent to our children.

The objective of intentional, Spirit-filled parenting is the exact same as our ultimate goal in everything else in life as a believer. It is to bring glory to God and glory to God alone. We raise our children for the glory of God. Our number one desire for our children should be that they KNOW God through faith in Jesus Christ and EVERYTHING that we do and feel and speak of and teach our children should ALWAYS be for that goal and that goal alone – that they KNOW God and glorify HIM as their Creator and Designer and Savior.

If we’re honest, many times in parenting we major on the minors and end up minoring on the majors – specifically raising our children FOR the glory of God and teaching them to glorify Him AS God. Keep the main thing the main thing. Remember the difference between the benefits of parenting and the purpose of parenting:

• My children are my best friends. (benefit)
• They act/look just like me. (benefit)
• They’ve honed some great skills and natural talents. (benefit)
• They’re gifted with intelligence and they’ve worked hard for that. (benefit)
• They’re making a lot of money and are successful at what they do. (benefit)
• They’re happily married and have a nice home. (benefit)
• They’ve acquired a nice amount of material possessions for themselves. (benefit)
• They’re popular and well-liked. (benefit)

These can all be some wonderful benefits…never the goal. If we make these things the goal, then we’ve failed God, we’ve failed our children and we’ve failed our community.

These might very well be some of the benefits of raising children for the glory of God and teaching them to glorify Him as God, but they should NEVER be the goal and may never manifest as benefits…but eternal benefits there will be.