As a parent, I would sacrifice myself for my children. Most parents, regardless of culture, would say the same thing. That self-sacrifice element of parenthood is a God-quality that is fully activated at the birth of a child. It wasn’t present before parenthood, or maybe dormant, but once we enter parenthood, that extra characteristic is almost tangible in each individual.
The greatest example of self-sacrifice ever was the gift of Jesus Christ to the world. God is a Father at His core and wanted a family. His man was His family, but man chose to be subservient to the devil instead of following and serving the Father God. Man left God, but God never left man. God began His plan to regain His family. He supported and continued His plan throughout the years until Jesus was born. During those 4000 years, there were innumerable occasions in which the people of God chose disobedience on small as well as grand scales. As the Perfect Parent, God endured the petulance and immaturity of His man, only once considering a complete restart of His family through Moses. Moses had listened to God so closely that he was able to “counsel” God with His own wisdom, saving the family of God from annihilation.
Parenthood is a God-created position of responsibility. Just like God, we do not like or approve of everything our children do, but we love our kids. We teach and instruct. We train and correct. We encourage and comfort. No matter the age of our children, we are always available for any of those things just like our Heavenly Father.
God fashioned the family and its parts in order to deposit His qualities into those different positions. Each Godly family is intended to be a microcosm of God’s whole family. As parents do the teaching, training, correcting and comforting for their kids, they are representing those aspects and activities we can each receive from our Father God as His individual children. He put His abilities and desires for these interactions in every parent. It is the responsibility of every parent to recognize and respond to the qualities and characteristics of parenthood, continually leaning on our Father and imitating Him.
Parenthood is an awesome responsibility in the natural but even more so in the spirit. Just as every baby must be taught to function successfully in the natural environment, it is more important to prepare each baby spiritually to function successfully in the spiritual environment. Not knowing how to walk, talk or read would be inconvenient and limiting to a successful natural life, but not knowing who Jesus is or that we must receive His gift of eternal life condemns that individual to an eternity (not just a natural life span) of separation from God in constant torment.
Children are eager learners, naturally and spiritually. Reaching children with the truth of Jesus is essential for their eternal destiny, allowing for a successful life on earth as well. Every believer has been tasked with the work of an evangelist, to tell others about Jesus. Having the heart of a parent just makes it that much easier.
