Now Hiring:
Stewardship Parenting Positions. Many available.
Parenting and Stewardship? What does that mean? We think of ourselves as parents. Period. What is meant by the notion of stewardship in connection with parenting? To understand parental stewardship, there are several underlying tenets. The first tenet is that we own or and control nothing in this life. It is especially difficult when it applies to our children and parenting. Our children are not ours? This cannot be. To whom do they belong? The Bible provides answers. Stewardship is made clear to us on every level of our lives. Psalm 24: 1 says, “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord.” Nothing we have here on this Earth is ours. It’s all the Lord’s and we are stewards. So what does that make us in practical terms? We are His stewards; He is the owner; and, He calls us to practice stewardship in every facet of our life. On an average day, you probably steward, or manage, multiple things, from your marriage, to your finances, to your health, and to your children. When we get in the mindset that we are stewarding or managing His property, it is a game changer. And, the greatest shift can happen when we embrace this notion with our parenting. We have such a short time to manage the children, whom the Lord has gifted to us. Our greatest opportunity in that is to point them to Him, the Owner of it all. But, we must lean into the Lord and be open to His guidance. Again, that may not come easily to many parents, who feel they know best. The second principle is to surrender your precious children to God. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” But we don’t need to stop there, for it continues in verses 12-13, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” When we, as parents, can embrace these basic tenets, we can parent, as stewards, by: •Teaching them the Word of God and why it’s so powerful. •Finding a church. Being involved in a church as a family and in community with other believers. •Encouraging your kids to pray. The Lord wants to hear from you and your kids. Some find praying out loud difficult to do, just keep encouraging your child to keep practicing! •Helping your child find friends. You can facilitate play dates, encourage good friendships, and monitor possible toxic friends. •Modeling what being faithful looks like. Even if your faith is new, model what it means to live in alignment with His Word. NOW HIRING!! The Lord is calling you to your job of being a steward over all He has given you. Hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant,” from the Owner of creation is what we’re striving for, and let it start with our children.
Erica is originally from Kansas and moved to Texas five years ago with her husband, Sam, and three children. She is currently the Children’s Pastor at Magnolia Bible Church. Connecting with children and watching them develop a love of the Bible and a relationship with the Lord is life-affirming.
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