When it comes to parenting, most of us really like the first 3 verses of Ephesians 6. In this passage, children are commanded by God (their Ultimate Authority) to honor and obey us (their earthly authority). It doesn’t get any more clear than that! If only toddlers could read! If only kids and teenagers could read and then follow through by honoring us and obeying our rules, life would be so much better (easier, happier, calmer) for everyone. When they do this, not only will life go better, but they will also live longer (see Ephesians 6:3).
So children certainly have a God-given responsibility to come under their parent’s authority through honor and obedience. However, parents also have a God-given responsibility when it comes to how they relate to their children. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” In this verse, parents are told something not to do (provoke their children to anger) but also two specific things they should be doing (discipline and instruction). We’ll focus on how not to provoke our children to anger in future articles about godly discipline but for now, we’ll focus on “instruction.”
Since the time your kids were little, you’ve been instructing them. When they were young, you instructed them how to eat, dress, tie their shoes, and ride their bikes. As they got older, you probably gave them some instruction about school, sports, driving, politics, and everything in between. Being a parent means being a primary instructor in the lives of your kids, even as they become teenagers. While most of us understand this is a great privilege and responsibility, we may not recognize that it also extends to their spiritual lives.
Parents, you are called to be the primary spiritual instructor of your kids! Just like you taught them how to walk, you’re also called to teach them how to walk spiritually. While there are many ways you can go about this, one way is to incorporate family devotion time into your weekly rhythm. This is a time to gather together your family to study and apply God’s Word together. You can use this time to instruct your children in biblical morals and values while teaching them the grand narrative of Scripture. It’s an opportunity to share the gospel with your kids over and over while developing in them a distinctly Christian worldview.
You may be wondering what it looks to have a family devotion time with your kids so here are a few ideas:
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- Pick one of the Scripture passages that we talked about on Sunday morning during the worship service and read this with your kids. Ask them what it means, why it’s important, and how they could apply it to their lives this week. Depending on the age and spiritual maturity of your kids, you might need to give them more explanation and instruction while also helping them process application ideas.
- Read through a book of the Bible together one chapter at a time. You could start with one of the gospels like Mark or the book of Proverbs. Ask your kids what part or verse stood out to them the most and why. Focus on one or two ideas from the chapter and teach your kids what this means and how you can live out these truths in your life.
- Use one of the parent resources on our website that syncs up with our Sunday morning curriculum. Allow this to guide your family devotional time by relooking with your kids at what they learned and utilizing the questions and activities provided in the parent guide. You can also ask them what questions they have from what they learned.
- Get a good family devotional book (ask our staff for suggestions) or utilize the devotions available on the YouVersion Bible APP. Allow these to guide you as you instruct your kids spiritually but be open to their questions and the direction of the Holy Spirit.
If you’re a Christian parent, God has equipped you for this and called you to this incredible role of instructing your kids spiritually. Make it a goal to carve out 1-2 times a week to gather your family together and open God’s Word for a family devotional time. After dinner, around the table and over dessert could be a great time to try it. Let our NextGen staff team know if we can help you.
