“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
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As a millennial mom to four kids in the middle school and young teen years, I feel like the world has been turned upside down.
All around us, evil is called good, and good is called evil. Our culture tells us right and wrong are relative. It rejects the objective standard of Truth for a much more convenient and subjective standard of “your truth.” And while it preaches tolerance, this worldview insists that everyone conform to its secular ideology.
So as parents, how do we raise children who are steadfast in their faith when culture relentlessly seeks to deceive and confuse them?
In the times of the early Church, the Apostle Paul was in a similar situation with the church in Philippi. In Philippians 4:1, Paul lovingly encouraged the church to be steadfast in the Lord.
In the verses that follow, Paul directed them to think about “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8).
Essentially, Paul called these believers to be steadfast in their faith by developing godly character and conduct — the results of pursuing biblical wisdom.
Parents can adopt this same plan when it comes to raising kids in today’s culture. We must lead our children to intentionally develop biblical wisdom and discernment so they may live with steadfast faith in this broken world.
Easier said than done, right? What practical steps can we take to raise children who are steadfast in their faith?
- Guide your children in the pursuit of biblical wisdom and discernment.
God’s Word is the very best source of wisdom — and wisdom leads to godly actions and right living.
Intentionally set aside time to read the Bible with your children. As they get older and are able, encourage them to read it on their own too. Then offer to discuss what they’re reading and learning.
Romans 12:2 instructs us to live with renewed minds, and the path to a renewed mind is through the intentional pursuit of godly wisdom.
Knowing about the fruit of the Holy Spirit is one thing; choosing to live it out is another (Galatians 5:22-25). And yet another layer of the conversation is discerning whether or not our actions are consistent with God’s call on our lives to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Getting to that last layer helps us grow in wisdom and discernment.
- Be gentle with your children, always leading with love.
The pursuit of wisdom and steadfast faith will inevitably include failure. It’s not about perfection but the pursuit of excellence.
We want to inspire our kids with God’s Truth — not break their spirits or push them away from God. This requires gentleness and love in both our words and actions.
- Live it out in your own life.
If we hope to teach our kids to pursue godly wisdom, we must first pursue godly wisdom ourselves. If we hope to inspire steadfast faith in our children, we must aspire to it in our lives. Let your life — successes and failures — be an example to your child.
As parents, the very best thing we can ever do for our kids is model an authentic and growing relationship with Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives.
And we can be encouraged that God is with us every step of the way as we guide our children in the pursuit of wisdom and godly character. The journey may seem daunting, but we are never alone or without His faithful guidance.
Lord, help me to inspire steadfast faith in my kids. Guard their hearts and minds against the lies of the enemy. Sow and cultivate a desire in their hearts to grow in godly wisdom. Give them discernment to know what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise according to Your ways. Help me to model steadfast faith and godly wisdom for my kids. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (ESV).
When was the last time you asked God for wisdom and discernment? Take a moment today to pray that God will guide you and your children.
In the comments, share about a time when God gave you or your children the strength to stay steadfast in faith!
© 2023 by Nicole Hunt. All rights reserved.
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