Raising Kids or Statesmen or Doctors or What?

The term “kids” gained much popularity in the 1960’s and 70’s. Many Christians resisted this cultural shift from calling youngsters “children” to calling them “kids”. When one church announced it was starting a “Kids Club”, there were protests that the children were not “Kids”! Some people were keen to point out that animals had ‘kids’ while humans had ‘children’. The very term was seen as dehumanizing.

Now ‘kids’ is ubiquitous and seems perfectly innocuous inside or outside the church. So, are we raising “kids” or “children”? Are you raising a statesman, a doctor or what? The question is not a trivial one because you will most likely succeed in leading your children toward what you want them to be.

I spoke at a Christian Business Men’s meeting in KL, Malaysia a few years ago, on the subject of “Manhood”. A highly educated Indian Doctor spoke to me afterward and lamented that he had actively raised his children with the wrong vision in mind. He had wanted each of them to be successful, well educated and professional. He sent them overseas for their studies and was thrilled with their personal and business success. Several of his children were leaders in their field. One was a Harley Street Specialist in London. Despite that enormous achievement, he now lamented that none of his children maintained their Christian faith. He was busy raising well-educated citizens, but failed to raise “Godly” people.

I ask you again. What are you raising? If you are more concerned about academics or business success you may achieve your objective but lament it in the end. If you are determined to raise “free-thinkers”, self-determined people, or those who know what they want and have the confidence to go and get it, you may succeed in your objective, but lament it later.

We need Godly Statesmen. We need more Christian business leaders. We need more professionals who will perform their functions with compassion and the fear of God. But if you are more concerned about the financial and personal issues, over the spiritual ones, you may simply raise statesmen, businessmen and professionals who go along with the worldly flow.

The more clearly you perceive your objective as a parent, the more delighted you will be with the outcome in the end. So don’t be too hasty to assume that what you are doing and where you are going is fine as it is. It is appropriate that you take time to think through your parenting objectives.

To help you give some deeper thought to the issues involved in good parenting, there is a Parenting Evaluation questionnaire which can be sent via email.

There are three broad levels of thought about Parenting, which will influence the way one proceeds with his or her parental role. There are the Natural Horizons, which are the worldly values and natural thoughts that many people follow. There are also the Spiritual Horizons, which are the Biblical and godly values, which God has revealed to us. Then there are the Faith Horizons, which are the possibilities available to those who will engage faith into the process of their parenting.

Written by Chris Field - April 16, 2009

If you are interested in more information or articles, please contact Rebecca at rsmcdowell@hotmail.com.