Nurturing God’s Kingdom Purpose in Our Children
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52
One of the most terrifying experiences was placing my daughter on a plane with strangers heading twenty-four hours due east across the Atlantic to Uganda. Luckily for her, the organizer limited parental good-byes to the church parking lot where I choked-back fears and tearful sobs as they boarded the van to JFK.
She’d been born for this—appointed in my womb for this day—I knew it full well. She was the girl who befriended the needy since kindergarten; the one who shared the gospel during childhood sleepovers; the young teen who announced after two weeks of summer camp that she was heading to Uganda. And yet, pondering these things like Mary mothered Jesus, I didn’t quite understand.
God appoints all of us to a specific purpose – one that usually corresponds to our heart’s deepest desire – in order to advance His kingdom on earth.
So, as parents, how do we recognize and nurture God’s call in our children’s lives?
Watch. Notice which unique interests, talents or causes repeatedly piques your child’s attention as they mature. These serve as clues to how God wired them for His purposes.
Encourage. Allow your child to explore their interests, God-given talents or causes within safe boundaries such as, writing stories, entering art competitions, volunteering at VBS, taking a mission trip with your church youth group, or serving the elderly.
Discuss. Ask questions. Many times peer pressure persuades children to try things just to fit into the group. It’s important to listen to their heart and discern a passing interest from a heart-call. Try not to dismiss their request as foolish or premature. Instead, keep communication lines open, especially if you’re uncomfortable with their choice of interests (ex. foreign missions, working in the inner city or a soup kitchen, etc). Remember, God does the equipping and although some of our children’s choices may seem crazy dangerous, we need to keep an open mind.
Pray. Seeking God’s will for our children’s future works best on our knees. We lay our parental fears and concerns at God’s feet when we’re alone and when we pray alongside our children, we show them we love them and we’re for them.
Walk. Watch for God-portunities, (especially if you’ve been praying for confirmation) and teach your child how to walk into these opportunities as an act of obedience to God’s call on their lives. This is the hardest part of parenting because God will call us to give Him control of our children’s lives.
My daughter embarks on her fourth trip to Uganda this summer along with a shorter trip to Guatemala. It’s never easy sending her off to dangerous places, but when I see God’s DNA planted deep inside her—that insatiable desire for justice and compassion for the orphans—I know it’s right. She’s living out God’s purpose for her; growing in wisdom and stature, and in favor of God and men.
Do you see God’s DNA running through your child’s veins? Can you see those insatiable desires, interests or causes they carry? Are you willing to nurture God’s kingdom purpose in their lives? What does that look like for you?
Blessings, Dawn Aldrich Children’s Author, Blogger, TV Host