As parents and grandparents, we love our kids, hoping for the very best for them. We want them to be safe and healthy. We also want them to be prosperous, to have good lives for themselves and their kids.
In discussions that I have with folks of faith, their GREATEST DESIRE for their kids and grandkids is that they have faith, that they believe in God and experience the unconditional love of Jesus Christ.
Why Do We Care?
It’s my experience that once you’ve experienced conversion and/or made the decision to live your life for Christ, that you’ll never go back to the previous you. Life just wasn’t the same then. You didn’t live with Peace, Joy, or Fulfillment. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly”. Those of us on the journey know this to be true for us and want our kids and grandkids to experience it as well.
What Do We Do?
Just love them. Love your kids and grandkids. There’s an expression I heard long ago that still rings true today, “no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care”. As an old friend of mine likes to say, “we need to earn the right to share the Gospel”. And we’re not going to do that unless they know we really care.
I’m not preaching here. God knows I could be a better father. What I do know, having failed for quite a while, is that we need to invest in our kids. We need to really try to understand them and to accept them (which doesn’t mean that we condone everything they do). Here’s what I also know…sitting in judgment and hitting them over the head with the Bible doesn’t work.
A Great Resource
In researching the subject, I found a great book, God’s Guide for Grandparents, by Susan Erschen, an Our Sunday Visitor (my publisher) author. You can get information on the book here.
Susan points to Grandparents having the unique opportunity to be holy role models by continuing to grow in their faith and by living the values of the Gospel message in the following ways:
- Putting others first
- Accepting without judging
- Showing compassion to the needy
- Looking with awe at God’s creation
- Living peacefully
- Having courage
- Being generous
- Being content with what you have
- Loving unconditionally
- Being joyful
- Expressing gratitude
The above applies to parents too. There’s no greater argument for living the faith than seeing the example of faith in others.
Question – What could you do differently to help your child or grandchild grow in faith?
Hope the above helped. Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments at [email protected].
God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!
Mark Joseph