Parenting, Distractions and Scripture

[JimFoxvog]

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

This was our primary guide in our child rearing years.

We choose home schooling for our sons. At the beginning of high school we offered our sons a choice of continuing home schooling or going to public school. One continued to get a home school high school diploma. He now has a (not home school) masters diploma. The other son choose to enter public school his junior year. He got a GED, as they didn't recognize home school credits, and went on to college.

[Josh]

What did Jesus have to say about parenting and child rearing?

[MaxPC]

Wade, your words create a beautiful seamless garment of our relationship with Christ, marriage and children; and how the three are inseparable.

As far as parenting goes I was overwhelmed early in my Christian walk at what a blessing the Lord had bestowed upon me in giving me a wife that loves our children so dearly and her always looking to their good and future. A prudent wife is from the Lord! When we struggled to get a long at times like we should have, she yet still cared so deeply for our children - how was I so selfish at times not to see the expression of her love to me in how she loved and loves the little ones... "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4

Some of the greatest Christian's will never be known by the rest of us or made mention of for the great things they did here on this earth.
1 Timothy 2:15 "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:4 Mother's have a special place and their constant care in what can seem to be the mundane things at times are of such a blessing that we would do well to look on that example and support it.

So one of the best things we can do is: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" - Ephesians 5:25

And in order to do that, we need to have a proper relationship with our loving Father in heaven. That security in Christ empowers woman to have faith in Him providing, so they can be "keepers at home" and fill a role that deserves more credit than it receives but yet the meek and quiet don't want that credit anyway. Rather they humbly point to Him and His grace.

God bless the many Christ-like selfless mothers(or anyone in a role caring for children) pouring their hearts into children and God bless the fathers that give up themselves, give up their distractions and love them through Him.

[temporal1]

Max,
There are 2 highly politicized topics that many consider, "no brainers," that i hope will not come to pass, at least, not worsen from where they are:
1. equal pay for equal work;
2. free or cheap child care (aka, government subsidized+controlled, from birth.)

i believe these two moves are deathly blows to stay-at-home mothers, who already have their hands overfull.

even years ago, i recall it was the obvious cost of (me) working outside the home that "solidified" our choice for me to stay home. if the temptation had been otherwise, i'm not sure (i/we) would have resisted, and/or, we may have felt pressured that we "had no other choice."

child care SHOULD BE expensive.
parents are valuable, there is no authentic replacement.

i'd much rather investments go toward elevating the value of women, children, families, rather than attempting to force them to do their "best impressions" of men.

frankly, with so many out of work, and, with some projecting a dwindling job market -
it makes all the sense in the world to focus on (valuable work in the home) leaving other jobs for men. this was done during former times, definitely during the Great Depression.

i recall being thankful it "did not pay" for me to work outside our home.
i was able to care for our children without the stress of feeling like maybe i "should be" working for a paycheck. it was lean! but, there are many ways to cut expenses to make it work.

biggest regret:
i would have loved to have had more social support (locally, and, in the world.)
i could not help but notice all the messages in mainstream entertainment were for young women to be professionals, doctors, lawyers, etc. those messages, without balance, serve to make stay at home mothers feel inadequate, or that they are missing out. not healthy.

today, i believe young women DO want to be at home with their families.
they need, and deserve, moral support (and role models) for doing this.
it's real work that takes skill and dedication to accomplish.

"all that glitters" is not gold.

[temporal1]

[Wade]

Josh wrote:
What did Jesus have to say about parenting and child rearing?

"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." - Mark 10:14

But this doesn't relate to parenting...

However we see the Messiah coming as a baby and being subject to a poor human family. Could one say that he spent some time in discipleship before His ministry? Growing in wisdom and stature with men...
That eventually lead to a full relationship with the Father and the Son and the Spirit at His baptism where,

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:17

We see Christ calling those that do his Fathers will his mother and brethren.
We see that Christians are adopted into the "family" of God.
We see a care for all souls with Christ, and especially see discipleship and training with those close to Him.
We see a Father and "child" or Son having a relationship.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God..." - John 1:12

It is great to be a "kingdom Christian" but we need to see that this nation of kingdom Christian's is comprised of brothers and sisters in Christ or sons and daughters of God, making up a close knit family "faithfully stitched together."
If this is who we are then that love and desire for the good of all others through Him will spill into the lives of those in close proximity to us, even our children. Christians love and love family!

To forsake and neglect young children literally by choice because we are going to follow Christ would rather be dropping of our responsibility and would conflict with His character and principles... Rather following Christ comes first and through serving Him we will care for those that He has giving us the responsibility over.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 18:10

When they are old enough and God forbid choose to go the wrong way I can understand that they are certainly outside the family of God. (Not to imply they are Christians because they are raised that way at all.)

We are all called to different responsibilities. Parenting is not more important than a single, widowed, divorced or other persons role within the body, just different. And so when we accept our role and the role of others; each one compliments one another, and makes for a beautiful church as He intended.

[silentreader]

Josh wrote:
What did Jesus have to say about parenting and child rearing?

"But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." - Mark 10:14

But this doesn't relate to parenting...

However we see the Messiah coming as a baby and being subject to a poor human family. Could one say that he spent some time in discipleship before His ministry? Growing in wisdom and stature with men...
That eventually lead to a full relationship with the Father and the Son and the Spirit at His baptism where,

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:17

We see Christ calling those that do his Fathers will his mother and brethren.
We see that Christians are adopted into the "family" of God.
We see a care for all souls with Christ, and especially see discipleship and training with those close to Him.
We see a Father and "child" or Son having a relationship.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God..." - John 1:12

It is great to be a "kingdom Christian" but we need to see that this nation of kingdom Christian's is comprised of brothers and sisters in Christ or sons and daughters of God, making up a close knit family "faithfully stitched together."
If this is who we are then that love and desire for the good of all others through Him will spill into the lives of those in close proximity to us, even our children. Christians love and love family!

To forsake and neglect young children literally by choice because we are going to follow Christ would rather be dropping of our responsibility and would conflict with His character and principles... Rather following Christ comes first and through serving Him we will care for those that He has giving us the responsibility over.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 18:10

When they are old enough and God forbid choose to go the wrong way I can understand that they are certainly outside the family of God. (Not to imply they are Christians because they are raised that way at all.)

We are all called to different responsibilities. Parenting is not more important than a single, widowed, divorced or other persons role within the body, just different. And so when we accept our role and the role of others; each one compliments one another, and makes for a beautiful church as He intended.

Hey, you said that quite well

[Josh]

Parenting / raising children is, in my view,
in the "meat nor drink" category - it is incidental to living on earth, but it really has nothing to do with Christianity. Heathens raise their kids too (often quite well).

I think the church goes down a dark road when it becomes focused on raising "good families" and focused on "making sure our kids turn out right". After a few generations of that, expect to be an ethnic-bound church with no outside growth and many believers' children not being genuinely converted but simply wanting to stay in a comfortable home culture.

I am not saying at all to not try to raise one's kids well, but I am saying it is a terrible focus. And if all a Christian community has to offer is a great setting for family life, then you really have no good news at all to offer to the chronically single, divorced, etc. (basically the majority of unbelievers today).

[ken_sylvania]

Parenting / raising children is, in my view,
in the "meat nor drink" category - it is incidental to living on earth, but it really has nothing to do with Christianity. Heathens raise their kids too (often quite well).

That viewpoint ignores the instructions contained in both the Old and New Testament regarding child rearing. You seem to assume that because the gospels don't record explicit commands by Jesus affirming the OT commandments about raising families that therefore the subject isn't important. Such a bold assumption deserves some kind of Bible backing; I'm not aware that Jesus ever instructed His disciples to ignore all Scripture other than what He re-affirmed.
In Genesis 18, the Lord ponders whether to tell Abraham of the coming judgement of Sodom. His knowledge that Abraham would "command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him" seems to have played strongly into the decision to reveal the coming judgement to Abraham.

What's your take on the instructions for family life given in Ephesians 6?

(1)Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2)Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3)That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. (4)And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

I'm sure I don't know of any heathen that do as well as the majority of Christian parents in this regard.

[Wade]

Parenting / raising children is, in my view,
in the "meat nor drink" category - it is incidental to living on earth, but it really has nothing to do with Christianity. Heathens raise their kids too (often quite well).

I think the church goes down a dark road when it becomes focused on raising "good families" and focused on "making sure our kids turn out right". After a few generations of that, expect to be an ethnic-bound church with no outside growth and many believers' children not being genuinely converted but simply wanting to stay in a comfortable home culture.

I am not saying at all to not try to raise one's kids well, but I am saying it is a terrible focus. And if all a Christian community has to offer is a great setting for family life, then you really have no good news at all to offer to the chronically single, divorced, etc. (basically the majority of unbelievers today).

I certainly don't want to give the impression that being a Christian is about a "comfortable" life. Because that has not been my experience, it has been more like this:

that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." - Acts 14:22b

- and neither could you convince mothers that pregnancy, morning sickness, labor, delivery, emergency cesareans, sleepless nights, and otherwise is comfortable.

I believe I know what you are getting at and you could be correct about some but not all; there are Mennonite men talked about on here that are in prison because of their faith and their families are going through times right now that are nothing but comfortable.

The other day when I was reading the account of Micheal Sattler's trial, the book I was reading said that there were 21 "Anabaptist's" on trail at that time. 15 recanted... So just because of a some inconsistencies from the majority should we dismiss the 6? God forbid!

I could share more personal stories of people raised in Mennonite homes I know but it isn't my story to tell... The ones I am considering didn't have the focus to raise good families. But it happens they do have good families because of their focus on following Christ. Children follow a parents walk more than there talk.
But maybe you haven't had the opportunity to talk to a Mennonite minister with mixed emotions and tears in eyes say he is going to miss his grandchildren when his son moves his family to a foreign 3rd world country permanently to help a church, but yet finishes with a smile, "praise God for his desire to follow Christ!"