Pathfinders

Read Proverbs 22

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Proverbs 22:6

Many parents see part of their role as making good choices for their children. Certainly this is true for very young children. Adults decide what they will wear, what they will eat, where they will go any given day, and who will be their playmates. But the true job of parenting is teaching children to make their own choices as they grow, first in small things such as wardrobe, then branching out to include friends, college, career, life partner, and more.

Some parents find it hard not to make all the choices for their growing children, whether out of genuine concern or out of a selfish desire to fulfill their own dreams through their children. God gave his children free will and the guidance to use it; this is what earthly parents must do for their children. Life is full of so many choices. Paths converge and diverge before us constantly. We truly love our children when we show them how to consider options, weigh the evidence, pray, read Scripture for guidance, and seek godly advice before they choose. Just as a child’s wardrobe choices gradually improve from the “interesting” ensembles of three-year-olds, children will gradually get better at the business of making choices.

A WORD FOR TODAY

The lessons of youth remain precious in adulthood.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of choice. Help me to model and teach good decision making to the children in my life.