Our kids aren’t burdens. They’re blessings from the Lord. Before you get married, you need to get this truth from the Bible, so you have the right mindset about one of the big reasons for marriage. Our kids give us the most amazing chance to raise them as disciples who carry God’s glory. That beautiful, sacrificial job was never meant for the government or the school system. God gave it to parents. We’re called to make disciples of all nations, and that includes our own kids. That’s how God’s Kingdom shows up here on earth.
Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” We need to guide our kids from the time they’re small and set them on the right path.
Psalm 127:3 says children are a heritage and a reward from the Lord. They bring joy and purpose to our lives. When we understand that before we get married, we see kids the right way.
God has trusted us as parents with our kids’ faith and character. Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us to impress God’s commands on our children and talk about them as we go through the day. So we keep teaching God’s ways and living them out in front of our kids, in every situation.
The world often acts like schools and institutions should shape our kids. The Bible says the main job belongs to parents. Ephesians 6:4 tells fathers to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. Parents need to be hands-on in raising their kids spiritually.
And our calling as parents goes past our own family. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. That includes our own kids. Our homes become a small picture of God’s Kingdom, where we raise kids who love Him and follow Him.
When we raise our kids in the ways of the Lord, we help God’s Kingdom show up on earth. Our kids become lights that spread His love and truth to the people around them. That’s what God wants: His Kingdom seen and active among us.
So let’s treasure our kids and step into our role as parents. Let’s teach them, guide them and show them God’s ways with our words and our actions. May our homes be full of His love, grace and truth as we raise a generation that carries His legacy and shines His light in a world that really needs it.
Fathers and Mothers of Faith
In 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, Paul writes to the Corinthians to warn them in love, not to shame them. He reminds them that they may have a lot of teachers, but they only have one spiritual father, and that’s him. He became their father in Christ Jesus when he shared the Good News with them.
Paul tells the Corinthians to imitate him and follow his example. To back up what he taught, he sends Timothy, his beloved and faithful disciple, to remind them how Paul follows Christ. It’s the same thing Paul teaches in every church he visits.
As we grow in our own families and marriages, we also need to grow in our spiritual family, the Kingdom Family. God sent people into our lives to help us build a strong foundation in our faith. Now it’s our turn to help others build theirs.
We’re called to be spiritual fathers and mothers who guide and support others as they grow. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We have a responsibility to grow our kids’ faith.
Jesus also gave us a mission in Matthew 28:19-20: make disciples and teach them to obey everything He commanded. As parents, we get to live out that mission in our own homes by teaching our kids to love God and follow His ways.
As our families and marriages grow, let’s not forget to invest in our Kingdom Family too. Let’s help others build a strong foundation in Christ, the same way people who came before us helped us. With our love and our example, we can help the Kingdom Family grow strong and share God’s love and truth with everyone around us.
Passing On God’s Legacy
In 2 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul writes to Timothy, his dear son in the faith, and tells him to be strong in the grace that comes from God through Christ Jesus. Paul reminds Timothy that he has already heard him teach these truths, and reliable witnesses confirmed them. Now Paul tells Timothy to pass them on to other trustworthy people, who will pass them on to others.
As followers of Christ, our responsibility doesn’t stop with our own family and marriage. It reaches the people around us too. We’re called to raise others up in their faith, the same way we were raised up. It can feel slow and complicated, but it’s the same model Jesus used with His disciples. Through our families and marriages, we become examples of what God talks about in the Bible.
When people watch our lives and follow our example, like they did with Paul, we leave a legacy that lasts longer than we do. Our lives can affect people deeply. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus teaches us, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” When we live out our faith and share God’s truth, people have someone to follow.
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Teaching and guiding others in the ways of the Lord matters, starting with our own kids. What we do and what we teach can shape their lives for good.
So let’s take our part in passing on the faith. As we pour into others, we build a legacy that goes way beyond us. Let our families and marriages show how good and true God is. When we live faithfully, we can inspire others to walk with Christ and glorify our Father in heaven.
The Future with the New Jerusalem
Revelation 21:2 (BSB): “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
As we think about our kids and the legacy we leave, picture yourself as a citizen of the new Jerusalem. In that picture, God fills that heavenly city with people from every nation, tribe and language (Revelation 7:9), and our families get to be part of that story.
God wanted people to fill the earth and have many children (Genesis 1:28). In the new Jerusalem, God’s Kingdom, He gathers everyone who trusts in Jesus. Our kids don’t get there because of us. Every person is saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our part is to disciple our kids and pray they put their own faith in Him. When they do, they’re like seeds that grow and spread His love.
Remember, our kids aren’t a burden. They’re a blessing from God. They’re the ones who will keep sharing God’s love and truth after us. God has trusted us with raising kids who will carry the legacy of faith forward.
Our homes become a small version of the new Jerusalem, where we teach and live out the ways of God’s Kingdom. When we raise our kids to know and love God, we plant seeds and pray they come to trust Jesus for themselves.
As we share Jesus with our kids and the people around us, they need our example and our teaching. When we live out our faith, follow Jesus and show His love, we become lights that point people to God’s Kingdom.
Jesus told His followers to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), and we’re called to make disciples in our own families too. Our kids are the first disciples we’re responsible to teach and guide. As they grow in faith, they carry God’s Kingdom out to others and share His love and truth.
So let’s step into our roles as fathers and mothers, knowing we’re part of something bigger: God gathering people from every nation into the new Jerusalem. As we raise our kids to follow Jesus and pray they trust Him for themselves, we help grow God’s Kingdom on earth and for eternity. May our families show God’s love and grace and invite others to put their faith in Jesus and join us in the new Jerusalem, where God’s glory shines forever.
