Occupying through parenting

Hellloooo! I trust we are all doing well in this new week. Today’s topic is for parents, guardians, and everyone who aspires to marry and have children. Can you occupy through parenthood? A big YES! You surely can. Parenthood is not just about raising children, it is about intentional guidance and spiritual influence. It means training up your child or children in the ways of God so that your influence over them produces good fruit.

As a parent, your responsibility is to nurture them in such a way that they are not out in the world destroying, but rather building and maintaining the standards of our faith. When you raise your children with Godly principles, you are shaping individuals who will carry those values into the world. Listen, your child or children are meant to occupy.

“Point your kids in the right direction, when they’re old they won’t be lost.”

Proverbs 22:6 (MSG)

What this means is that a child must be trained. Scripture is very clear on this, it says train up a child and point them in the right direction. Training and directing a child is the responsibility of the adult. Your child cannot be the one training you as the parent, and your child certainly should not be the one giving direction in the home. For example, a child may say to their parent, “I’m not going to church.” Ehhh! Yet you may find some parents responding, “Awww baby, it’s okay. You know how they are. When they grow up, they will realise how much they need God.” No. The African in me will not allow anyone to “see later.” You will see now because we are going.

Children must be trained to understand the principles of your household from an early age. Not that a full house with adults is being trained by a 5 year old. Ehhhhhhh! (I need to reduce the number of times l say ehhhh) In many households today, children are the ones leading while parents adopt the world’s notion of “don’t indoctrinate your children.” Meanwhile, other religions intentionally teach their children their beliefs and values, and no one questions it.

Christian parents, your children must learn about your God. When they go out into the world, their testimony should be the beautiful one that says, “My parents taught me about God.” You cannot only teach your child English and leave the rest to television, Ms Rachel and Cocomelon. Some may say, “You’re not a parent yet, you will see.” But I’m not speaking from experience, because experience is not always the best teacher. Experience can sometimes teach us things rooted in trauma or error. The best teacher is the Word of God. The Word teaches us the things that lead to life, a good life. One of those teachings is that children must be given direction.

If the parent says the direction is to study and sleep by 8, why should there be another direction where the child decides they prefer to do everything at 01:00? I have even heard on social media that some parents are now being raised by their children. People post videos of disrespectful behaviour by their children just to gain followers and views, expecting everyone to laugh along. But wait until that child is 16, when what once seemed funny becomes so sour that it brings the parent to tears. Some even post their children doing things meant for adults simply for attention and online popularity. Yet year 21 is coming, and when real consequences arrive, nobody on social media will carry that burden with you. Scripture is too wise to be wrong, even about this.

There should be no way that Ms. Rachel is the only teacher in your house. She cannot become the online nanny while you scroll on Instagram all day reposting memes and commenting on celebrities posts about their own children. So is teaching your child the Word of God? By the age of five, children should at least know a few verses. They should know how to pray for the food and thank God for life. There are Bibles made specifically for children, get them those. Give them colouring books with scripture, Bible stories, and books that teach manners and character.

Why should we wait until someone is 21 to try to build character, when by then swear words are already flowing like a river? Point the direction early. My parents did well in this area. Back then, I sometimes thought, “This must surely be abuse,” and I would get angry. But now? I am so grateful. I am grateful that going to church was never a debate. Serving in God’s house was not up for discussion. Prayer at home, going to school, these were not negotiable. Respect and love were expected at a very high standard . Not to paint a picture of perfection in our household, but Scripture is correct, when they grow up, they will not depart from it.

Now that I am grown, my parents have occupied through me because they taught me things that enabled me to occupy. If one day I were to become a president (maybe start praying for that, President Vanessa Elabashayaaayayaaa) when my mother arrives somewhere, how would she be known? The mother of the president. Has she not occupied that position through parenthood? Or think of the title “father of the bride” is that not being known through what your child becomes? So we cannot only think about occupying right now. Your children will occupy later. The question is, how will they occupy, and where will they occupy? God forbid that any of our children occupy prison. God forbid!

Let’s meet again tomorrow. I love you.

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.