Vol.15 No.3

Your Children the Heritage of God
Children trained for the glory of God are a blessing to their immediate family and to society.
By June Schneider

The year was 1985, the president was Ronald Reagan, and I had arrived at one of those milestones in my life. I had become a mother for the first time. I remember the wonder and awe I felt and considered myself blessed. The joy of that first baby smile, the tug of little hands reaching for mommy, filled me with a new appreciation of God’s wonderful love.

Jesus said, “Suffer little children and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14. As He spoke these words, our Savior envisioned the potential for each child to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Looking at these precious children, Jesus saw the symbolism of his Father’s love for us, His wayward children. Christ portrayed this love in His own life and in many of the parables He told.

Jesus also said, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3. What did He mean by this statement? Jesus wanted us to equate the loving, humble, trusting disposition of children to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He longs for us to accept His Word knowing that we can trust Him to do what is best for us.

Children trained for the glory of the Lord are indeed a blessing, not only to their immediate family but also to society. God’s Word says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. Unfortunately, in today’s world many parents do not feel blessed to have children. Many parents spend little quality time with their children, and many youth feel unloved and unwanted.

Children need a loving, Christ-centered home atmosphere to build self-esteem and provide stability.

If home is an attractive place where respect and kindness prevail, children will learn to connect with their parents. There will be less correction and more connection. In the home children learn character-building values. The home should therefore be a shield from exposure to evil and a place where prayer is taught. It is in the home that a balance is created between systematic structure and freedom for youngsters to explore.

In my own home, my husband and I have found that practicing these principles over the years has built a trusting, loving foundation between us and our children. They trust our guidance, and we have become their best friends as we seek to aid them in character building.

Best Friends

When our first child was born, my husband and I decided that we wanted our children to be truly a blessing not a trial. I gave up a promising career and remained at home with the children. It meant living on one income, driving older cars, and devoting countless hours to training. During the early childhood years our love had to be tough. As parents we had to be united in child rearing. There were times when we said “no” firmly and kindly, but meant it. We learned that both harshness and indulgence gave rise to objectionable character traits and home tensions. As the children grew, we watched them mimic our words, gestures, and actions. This enforced the great responsibility that rested on us.

Decisions had to be made about what influences they should be exposed to, who their friends should be, and what values to teach and not to teach. Self-control and obedience were emphasized. The children were also taught that chores were done together in a team spirit. Therefore, they were never paid to do household chores and we still do them together. Our children grew up without the influence of television programs and artificial stimulation. School was done at home, and church activities became a central part of our family life. We made mistakes, but we learned valuable lessons from them. As we look back, we can confidently say it was worth it all.

“Give some of your leisure hours to your children; associate with them in their work and in their sports and win their confidence. Cultivate their friendship. Let parents devote the evenings to their families. Lay off care and perplexity with the labors of the day.” (Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home, p. 192) Children need to have avenues to express their creativity and individualism. Provide safe and meaningful outlets for their talents but keep the children close to you. Enjoy their ingenuity. We were blessed with a country home and the children enjoyed roaming in the woods. They worked beside my husband collecting firewood, felling trees, and banging nails. We watched them make maple syrup, learn to ride horses, and teach their pet goats to jump. We made crafts, food baskets, cookies for the neighbors, climbed waterfalls, caroled at Christmas, camped, traveled on planes, and built snow creatures.

Like Young Plants

Children have their own personalities. Each personality needs to be studied and nurtured like a young plant. Pray to understand your children as God sees them. Pray for wisdom to guide each child from childhood to maturity. Never compare one child with another, but seek to bring out the best in each temperament. Let the children feel that each individual is a precious member of the family.

When I look at my children and their very different personalities, I think of how much they have taught me. I also think of how I have learned about God through watching them over the years. I have learned to care for skinned knees and bruised fingers, to mend hearts and wipe away tears. I have learned the true meaning of patience, the rewards of perseverance, and the joy of simple things. I have expected from my children what they expect from me. God has done all of that and much more for us. Perhaps, that’s why He gave us children. If we pattern our relationship with our children after the manner in which God treats us, we see a glimpse of our Heavenly Father’s care. God says, “ Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” Psalm 103: 13.

When I admire my children with love and pride, I understand more about the sacrifice that God the Father made for us. It would totally crush my soul to see harm come to any of my

children. But how it must have crushed the Father dearly to give His only Son for a wicked world.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His  only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3: 16.

Psalm 127:3 says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord...” There are many precious things in this life—one of these is the love of a child.

* June Schneider, a homeschooling mother of three, resides in Boones Mill, VA with her husband and children.