They're worth it!

All the "good" parents do it.  Especially the first timers.  You know, baby proofing the home.  We painstakingly plug every outlet with a cover, agonize over the top-safety rated carseat, cover every sharp corner with a rubber corner cover, anchor every heavy piece of furniture to the wall, secure every cabinet door, and lock up all the cleaners.  We are religious about it; and for good reason, too.  We know what's at stake: the safety of our most precious possessions -- our children.  When it comes time for schooling, we do something similar.  We devote hours to thinking about and comparing schools.  Private? Christian? Catholic? Public? Homeschool?  Again, for good reason.  We know what's at stake: the minds and future of our children.  So many times and in so many ways throughout the course of our childrens' lives we are intentional and purposeful about making decisions on their behalf.  But what about when it comes to their spirituality?  So often that gets relegated to the pastor or the Sunday School teacher.  Othertimes, it gets lost by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of choosing the best sport or lesson for them.  Think about that in light of the baby-proofing phenomenon.  Would we dare say, "I don't have to baby proof my home.  The home safety police or Child Services will come out and do that for me!"  What if we treated our children's schooling choice that way?  "I'll just drop them off at the nearest school and surely they'll absorb something!"  We wouldn't dare neglect to send them to elementary school, but many parents forget that kids are just as much a spiritual being as they are a physical being - and that spiritual side of them needs tended and nurtured. 

Parents, I believe that God is calling us to be more intentional about our childrens' spirituality than anything else in their lives.  More than which doctor, what sport, which school, or even what career.  One of the main purposes He has for us as parents is to shepherd their hearts toward Him.  Jesus taught us to pray, "Not my will, but thine be done."  That IS God's will for our children - to be shepherded into His fold.  To have their hearts turned toward and tuned into their Heavenly Father.  So as you shuffle school applications or insert outlet covers, be proactive about instilling spiritual truths from the Bible into your children.  Use everday opportunities and occurences to speak to them of God and His story.  Shape their world view by using the truth contained in Scriptures.  Spiritually care for them daily.  They're worth it!