What is success in raising up our children?

How is he smart

"The question is not how smart are you, rather it is how are you smart?" Jim Kwik. For too long, we’ve been trapped in the narrow thinking that kids are either “smart” or “not smart”, based on limited measures like test scores. But what if I told you that every child is already smart? It’s just a matter of figuring out how they are smart. Think about the scriptures in Genesis 1:27, where it says: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” It means that every child is a reflection of the divine creator. It means every one of them is already wired for wonders.

Foundations of Fatherhood

The foundation we lay for our children as fathers is crucial for their success. Success isn’t just about climbing the corporate ladder, excelling in education, sports, entertainment or accumulating wealth, it’s about raising children who are grounded, resilient, and equipped to live fulfilling lives in service of God and others. Children who have a rich relationship with God. And let’s be honest, as fathers, the challenge of that responsibility can sometimes feel overwhelming. So, how do we build this foundation? We’re going to draw from several sources in this episode to explore this idea: the timeless wisdom of the Bible, the insights of modern science, the powerful and challenging voice of Voddie Baucham, and the compassionate perspective of Dr. Gabor Maté.

What is success in raising up our children?

What does is mean to have raised our children successfully as fathers? If our children have grown up to have good jobs, successful businesses, excelled in sports or in the world of entertainment, is that success? The chief role that God has given us as fathers is to raise godly children (Malachi 2:15), or to raise them up to have a rich relationship with God. This is in keeping with what Jesus said "what good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?"

The Kinds of Thoughts to Have as Fathers

Our minds are like a garden, it takes cultivation to come up with a beautiful garden and to maintain it. Without careful attention to the garden, weeds easily sprout and overrun the good grass, flowers or plants. Weeds don’t seem to need any encouragement to grow, they tend to just grow so easily. Good thoughts take concerted effort to build and maintain, however, if we neglect our garden (mind), then the weeds, or bad thoughts quickly sprout and take over.

A Father as a Provider

One of the key roles of a father in the family is that of a provider. What naturally comes to mind when that word is said is financial provision. However, I think this role is much larger than just financial provision. Certainly financial provision is a crucial part of it. However, it is good to explore the other components of being a provider.