My oldest daughter recently turned 17 years old. For the past decade, I have watched God grow her into a woman. Along the way, we have had countless teaching and mentoring opportunities. Like her older brother, they both have received a heart imprint from their parents. Imperfect as that imprint is, it is one that has and will continue to impact their lives. As fathers and mothers, we have been given such a blessed opportunity to serve as stewards of our children’s hearts as God grows them into men and women.
In past generations, not too long ago within our own American history, girls and boys would step into various roles of adulthood as they reached their teen years. In many cases, it was part of a larger picture of household and community survival. Children matured within a model that naturally transitioned them into adult responsibilities that centered around helping the household and others in their pursuit to survive. It was both generational and community oriented.
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
1 Corinthians 13:11
As a father, I cannot be too intentional when it comes to helping my children mature for the Lord within every stage of life. When I read the above verse, I am struck with the simplicity of the developmental stages of life. There is childhood and then there adulthood. While I understand that there are elements of degrees within these stages, there really are only two stages.
At some point of maturation, and I believe it will vary somewhat from child to child, a child needs to progressively take on roles of adulthood that allows the child to be contributing to the welfare of his or her household and community. As this happens, the child quickly learns that life does not revolve around him. It is during this same time that we, as parents, have the opportunity to connect everything we do to the glory of God. As such, the child naturally learns that there is no area of life void of God - no compartmentalism of our faith, every relationship and everything we do is done unto the Lord for the glory of God.
It must begin with the parents and the adults that surround our children. Paul hits the point hard and clearly in Titus 2. Both men and women need to set the example of adulthood for our youth (young men and women) growing into adulthood. It is God’s expectation that when adulthood comes, childhood ceases. Our expectations and goals as parents and adults should be no different.
One last thought when considering Titus 2 - before I can teach/mentor the next generation within their God-given roles of men and women, I must first become a living example. Join me this week in spending sometime in Titus 2 and let’s pray together that God will use us to impact the next generation for Him.