Don't Underestimate The Challenge of Parenting

Perhaps the most common mistake by Christian parents today is to underestimate the challenge of parenting.  We think that if we mean well, our kids will turn out just fine.  We think that as long as we bring our kids to church, set a good example, and pray for them, they will become lifelong followers of Jesus.  But it is not that easy.

An example from Scripture would be the story of Hezekiah and his son Manasseh (2 Kings 18-21).  Hezekiah was the greatest and most godly king in Judah's history.  He led the nation out of idolatry.  He defeated the Philistines and the mighty Assyrians.  God did amazing miracles through his prayers, such as healing him from a terminal illness and promising him fifteen more years to live.  Yes as great as Hezekiah was, he was not able to pass the torch of piety to his son Manasseh.  Manasseh became king after Hezekiah, reigned 55 years, and was the worst king in Judah's history.  He led the nation back into idolatry, and even practiced child sacrifice -- murdering Hezekiah's grandson.  There are many lessons to learn from this story, but the thing that jumps out at me is that raising godly kids is not easy.

A small minority of Christian parents understand this.  And they are taking what appear to be "extreme" measures.  These might include homeschooling, family-integrated church, mom not working outside the home, no TV in the home, not letting their children have smartphones, and keeping their children away from social media, just to name a few.  These parents are seen as weird, and receive quite a bit of push-back and criticism from the evangelical community at large.  But they don't care.  They have embraced weird because they see that normal isn't working.  

I'm not saying that you should do everything other Christian parents do.  I'm not saying that you have to homeschool or join a family-integrated church.  But do not underestimate the challenge of parenting.  Do not underestimate the power of Satan.  Do not underestimate the sinfulness of the world and the power of peer pressure.  Do not underestimate the power of your child's flesh to tempt them to sin.  In fact, you would do well to assume that your child is not going to follow Christ unless you do everything within your power to protect them from the world and point them to God -- and then there's still no guarantee.  More often than not, the world is more successful than Christian parents at reaching their kids.

Are you doing everything in your power to raise your kids for Christ, or are you just doing what's normal and hoping for the best?  Start by asking this question:  "Lord, what changes do I need to make to give my children the best chance of spiritual success?"  And then do it, no matter how "extreme" or "weird."  Your children are worth it.  God demands it.