Preparing Our Children For Adulthood
I was speaking to one of my sons recently, and he made the statement that he was living to ensure that all of
his children received a college education.
He went on to say that his children would be given no choice in the matter--that these days, a college degree
was just as necessary as elementary and high school.
I couldn't disagree with much of what he was saying, but I do disagree with that type of blanket statement.
There is no disagreement here that our culture has indeed become so technical that without specialized
training, many people could never work in areas they feel they are called to or that they have a burning desire to go into.
But is living for the purpose of seeing that our children get a college education an acceptable goal for
anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ?
And, if not, does that mean Christians should remain ignorant, uneducated and regulated to the lowest stratums
of our society?
I believe the answer to both of those questions is, no.
Christian parents should be living for the purpose of helping their children acknowledge God in all
their ways, so He can direct their paths.
The direction we, as Christian parents should be giving our children, is the direction on how to seek God's
will for their lives--not ours.
How do we do that?
Simply by living according to the Word of God ourselves and teaching our children to do the same.
If God is truly directing, would he not also be providing a way for our children to be completely prepared
for whatever career or vocation he has chosen for them?
Parents are stewards--nothing else.
Our primary job is to create a loving environment in which our children can develop trust and confidence
in us as parents--so that we can then introduce our children to their creator and teach them how to acknowledge
him in all their ways, so He can direct their paths and fulfill His divine plans
for their lives (proverbs 3:6).
Parents should prepare (as much as possible) to encourage and help a child receive the training they need
vocationally--but do not assume that child must have a college education.
If they are called into a career field that requires one--then yes, they need one.
But are we God to know in advance, and pound into our children's heads from infancy that, whether they
like it or not, they are going to college?
I think not.
What if God has a plan for our child in a vocation which requires training, but not a college degree?
Think how much anxiety and wasted effort--and money--(pushing a child in the wrong direction) could be avoided
if parents would simply acknowledge that it is God who has a plan for every life--including the lives of our
children--and that he has not delegated that part of his sovereignty to us.
What if God plans for a daughter to be a wife and mother and raise godly children? What if that is the entirety
of his plan for her life?
All daughters will not marry (or have that divine plan for their lives)--but some certainly will. And those who
are called to it will not be happy doing anything else.
That is a worthy calling. That is the highest calling. And the training for that vocation can only be gotten
one place--at home.
A child's first introduction to their God, and to what the relationship between them and their God should
be like, is with their parents--but that does not make the parents God.
All parents should diligently seek heavenly guidance as to how they can be training, preparing
and positioning their child to fulfill the divine plan that God (alone) has for that child's unique
life....
As parents, that is what we should be living for.