Ever heard of the saying, “it takes a community to raise a child?” I believe it to be true. Children are brought up by their parents/ guardians, by the grandparents, the teachers , nannies and sometimes the aunts or uncles. However, it’s very important that the parents train up their children as much as they can. They must be the primary influence. This means that in their busy schedule, parents must also be busy “with” not “for” their children.
In the bible there was a King called David who had a son he had never reprimanded. He had never called him out on any wrong. Do you think the boy ended up occupying the throne? No. Why? Because he raped his half sister and even in that situation his father kept quiet. David was aware that Amnon raped his daughter Tamar but he never confronted him. I’m talking to parents who plan for their kids to become presidents and ceos and big people, the ones who are not raised right do not deserve those titles. You cannot give influence to occupy to someone whose parents even struggle to reprimand.
A parent can occupy through their children. Good parenting has the power to raise solution-bearers for the world. If we want strong communities, we need well-raised children and that ultimately shapes good leadership, good governance, and even good presidents. It all begins in the family, because every leader comes from a home and a community. Parents, it is not abuse to teach your children the Word of God or to train them in responsibility through simple house chores.
Why should a twelve-year-old be unable to wash dishes? How can a thirteen-year-old boy not polish his own school shoes? Why is a sixteen-year-old at home watching football on a Sunday morning while the parents are in church, only for them to return and find him waiting for his mother to serve him food? No, people of God, this should not be so. Be firm and intentional in raising your children, so we do not give the world reason to speak against us. Why is it that, at times, it is our children as believers who are caught up in wrongdoing, yet they say, “I believe in my mother’s prayers”? It calls for reflection and responsibility.
It’s not as if Amnon was the only troublesome child, King David had another son, Absalom, who even rose up against his own father in an attempt to take the throne. Here was a good king, yet his children turned out differently. Think about Eli as well, a devoted priest who served God faithfully in the temple, yet his sons were described as corrupt. He was warned to discipline them, but he failed to act, and in the end, their wrongdoing brought destruction upon the whole family. This shows that a parent can be good, yet still raise children who go astray if that goodness is not intentionally taught and enforced.
Samuel, a man of God, had sons whose character disqualified them from following in his footsteps. The truth is, children will either thank you or blame you when they grow older. Some are raised to occupy positions in leadership, in parliament, and in major institutions, while others end up occupying in prisons or dark paths. The question is, the children you are raising now, where will they find themselves? As things stand, what kind of future are they being prepared for?
It is not enough to simply pay school fees. It is not enough to buy clothes, to provide food, or even to give children a home, some parents say, “I give you a home and I pay your fees.” Yes, sir. Yes, madam but what about teaching manners? What about teaching them about God? The world is rapidly decaying, and children need more than a good school down the road or fancy trips. They need solid teaching that prepares them for life. Teachings that will shape them to stand firm like Daniel, who refused to defile himself at the king’s table, or like Joseph, who chose righteousness and said, “How can I do such an evil thing against my God?”
These principles did not appear overnight someone taught those young men. May your children represent you well in the world. Remember, they were given to you as a gift to nurture and groom, and one day, you will give an account to God. I love you, see you tomorrow.
If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you.
