As parents, one of the greatest responsibilities we have is to disciple our children. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says this:
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
This is a call to parents to disciple their children as they live their life. It is not necessarily going through a curriculum with them, going through a Bible workbook series, sending them to Awanas or to church programs, etc. (although these things can be a reinforcement to what is taught by the parents). This command is for “parents” to disciple their children…to train them up in the Lord…as they go about their day. It is a life of worship/discipleship that begins with the parents and filters through to the children.
Yes, you heard me right . . . discipleship first starts with the parents. This is a hard realization, but as parents we cannot effectively disciple our children to Christ until we ourselves have been in the “school of Christ” being discipled ourselves. It is only as we grow and mature in the Lord that we as parents can impart this to our children. It is so easy to try to take the short-cuts, as I mentioned above, and not take personal responsibility for our own Spiritual walk. There have been many times that I have caught myself trying to teach or train my children in some Spiritual matter that I have not yet made a part of my life. Do you see the hypocracy in that? Don’t you think our children see that? It HAS to start with us! It is God’s plan for parents to be discipled, so that they can in turn disciple their children to Christ, so that they in turn can then be discipled and then disciple their children . . . and on and on it goes . . . the raising of Godly seed. This is what God intended and has set forth in His Word.
Your children must see you LIVING the life of a disciple. In the process you will gain their hearts, their respect, their honor, and they will “want” to listen and follow you as you point them to Christ.
