Set The Standard

My 4 year old son is a character to say the least. He has a very big personality and an extremely active mind. I have to be very strategic when talking to him because he doesn’t forget anything. He takes what I say, thinks about it logically, pulls the information apart, and then applies it to his own situations. Kids in general are sponges. If we take the time to explain things to them, they can comprehend way more than we think. We are their first influence. We create a culture in our homes by what we say and how we train them.  It is our jobs to set rules and boundaries and enforce them while they are young. As they get older, there are many other influences and rules they will be exposed to. We have to listen to what they are saying and have hard conversations in order to stay in a trusted place of influence in their lives. If we as parents don’t set the standard for acceptable behavior, believe me there is an enemy of their soul that is waiting to step right in. My daughters and son both have their own dress up clothes. My son has firefighter, police, ninja, batman, ironman, etc. My girls have princess, tutus, shoes, purses, jewelry, supergirl, etc. The other day, my baby girl was trying to give my son her purse. His response was “No, boys don’t carry purses. When God gives me a wife then I can help her carry her purse, but I don’t have a wife yet.” My son has been fascinated with having a girlfriend for a couple of years now. So I always tell him that he is too young to have a girlfriend, but when he is ready, God will send him a wife. He has four sisters so it’s extremely important that I encourage Him to grow into the man of God that he is called to be and not emasculate him by putting him into the same category as my other children. There is definitely a difference. I know that I have an advantage because he also has a strong influence from his daddy. I realize, many children don’t have that.  The enemy is after our families. A women cannot replace the presence of a good father in a child’s life, but she can set a standard of acceptable behavior. They watch how we let others treat us and how we respond to situations. They listen to our instructions (even when we think they aren’t). We set the standard! The devil wants our families. He wants our men to be weak. He wants to steal the authority from God’s people. We need to raise the bar of what’s acceptable, starting with our own homes. We can’t continue to let the world define what is acceptable. We must not be apologetic about what we believe. The world isn’t ashamed of what they believe. We must rise up as an army. We are raising up the next generation of warriors. The word of God has to be the standard and weapon of choice. We must equip and prepare them for what’s to come. They can be world changers if we set the standard in their hearts.

 

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Father, we thank You that You have set a standard for living that is good and acceptable. Lord, teach us how to renew our minds through your word that we may impart boundaries in our children according to Your will. Forgive us for being lazy and not paying attention to the little details. Forgive us for letting the world set the standard and conforming in some areas. Wash us with Your word and make us examples that our children can look up to and admire. Let us be bold against the world systems and not be ashamed of the Gospel we believe. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!