The Duty of Parents - (Pasche)

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Eph. 6:4 

 Next to the seeking of their own salvation the highest duty of Christian parents is the bringing up of their children in the fear of the Lord. If parents are required to look to the mortal bodies of their children, how much more to their immortal souls! “ Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” These are the words of the Lord, and they are true.

But why, then, do so many children, even of parents who are professed Christians, turn out bad? Assuredly it is often their own fault. But is it not also true that many parents do not know how to train up a child in the way he should go? To obey its parents is a little child’s delight; but parents who have not them­ selves learned self-control cannot teach their children obedience. To bring up a child in the way it should go, you must go that way yourself. If children are to honor parents, parents ought to honor themselves and each other. If father and mother are rude to each other, it need cause no surprise if their example is followed. Chil­ dren need good models to follow as their examples. Boys learn honesty and girls modesty not so much from books as from their parents. How many a boy’s soul has been poisoned by filthy talk heard from an adult’s lips! How many baptized children learn neither prayers nor Bible stories! Parents should teach their chil­ dren to pray and worship the Lord and urge them and influence them to walk in the ways of the Lord as long as they live.

Here is where they often make a grave mistake. They let their children form their own judgment as to religion. But that is wrong. God demands of you to bring up your children so that they will fear and love Him and trust in Him. That is an express command of God. We should attend to the spiritual need of our children not only before, but also after their confirmation that they may remain faithful and our work may not be in vain.

Prayer.

O heavenly Father, Thou hast appointed and assigned to me my duties; but matters do not always take the turn I would like, and there are so many things troubling and distressing me that I find in myself neither help nor consolation. For this very reason I commit everything to Thee, looking to Thee for counsel and aid. In all these questions be Thou the beginning and the end. Bless all I do. To Thee I will thankfully ascribe all praise for the success of my work. Grant this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.