The Call to Parenting
The Call to Parenting - Study 10/7/10
You don’t have to have given birth to a child to be a great parent. A modern example for us is mother Teresa who had no biological child of her own but was mother and father to thousands of kids in Calcutta India. We see Paul playing the same role of parenting – being a mother and father to the Thessalonians. When it is comes to the bottom line of our real job as responsible citizens of God’s kingdom, we are all in the parenting business.
Do you have anything else to boast of at the end of life except the lives of people you and I have touched and nurtured? The prize and crown of this life is the people God have used us to nurture and draw close to him. Apostle Paul came to this conclusion regarding the Thessalonians. Do you have any other measure of success in life? If it is not this, then you must rethink it. Could your measure of success be the houses, cars and gold we own? If they are, then God really feels sorry for us because we are going nowhere with them. Will you be a mother and a father to someone today? The parenting role is to encourage anyone toward meaningful relationship with God. We are all candidates on both sides – as children as well as parents.
Let’s learn from Apostle Paul the mothering and fathering skills that he employed with the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 2
1You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.
As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[a]
17But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. 19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Here is my observation in addition to the ones you may have:
1. God used Paul and his company to birth the Thessalonians into the kingdom by preaching the word of God. Paul was like a woman who had just given birth to a child and then ordered to leave the child behind and chased out of town. “But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us” vs. 17-18. This was very painful to Paul and that was why he assigned Silas and Timothy to oversee the young church. Please read Acts 17 for the detail.
2. The goal of parenting was summed up by Paul, “urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory”. This is the real goal and objective of parenting. I wish this will sink into us parents. We are often pursuing other goals that place this in a lower priority. Most of us parents have chosen the secular educational goal as the number one priority in total neglect of the real and most important goal – training our children to live lives worthy of God. Please don’t get me wrong, education is important but for what shall it profit our child if he/she gains the whole world through education and good job and loose his/her own soul. May God help us to get our priorities right in order. This I believe will reduce the blood pressure of most parents knowing that in comparison to eternity not making all “A”s in grade is not the end of the world.
3. Paul as a mother. 7”But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children”. This is the true heart of a mother. Another translation says “feeding and caring” for them. Mother’s role implies personal involvement and giving of oneself for the sake of another.
4. As a father. “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” vs.11-12. The heart of a father and his role – “encouraging, comforting and urging” with the word of God. These are not easy tasks and it implies repetition and continous effort. Let’s not give up in one try. It will also include saying things to our children that are not popular such as “no” to things we know may harm them.
5. Notice a powerful word here about sharing ourselves. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us”. This is true illustration of love and living in community of Christ. Most people will share the gospel but not their lives with you. What exactly is Paul referring to here? Paul in his parenting role spent his own resources and money to minister to the Thessalonians. This would have included sharing meals with them. Whenever we have the opportunity, may we share our lives with people including our joys and pains. We will make more impact on people when we share our lives with them.
6. Apostle Paul understood very clearly and without confusion that God is the one “who calls you into his kingdom and glory”. See also Thessalonians 1:4 on election. As parents we must keep this truth constantly in mind. You cannot make your son or daughter a Christian or a follower of Christ. God is the one who calls. We can only point them to the Word of God and to Christ and pray for them.
7. We must therefore constantly pray for our children as Paul did. I believe this the greatest gift we can give anyone or our child. Paul constantly gave thanks for the Thessalonians vs. 13 and always mentioning them to God the Father of all who is truly the real parent (chapter 1 vs.2).
8. Let us also remember like Paul that “the word of God, which is at work in you who believe”. We must share the truth of the word with our children in digestible form and not in overdose. God defends his word, so don’t worry and be happy. Let God’s word convict our children.
9. Is it worth all the effort? Yes, look at Paul’s trophy. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy”. People are our real crown and joy. There is no greater reward than hearing “well done, good and faithful servant” when it comes to the parenting of our spiritual and biological/adopted children.
Have you accepted the challenge and call to parenting? I like the title to a parenting book that says, “Parenting is not for Cowards”. To be an influence in any person’s life that will cause him/her to “live life worthy of God”, it will cost us something. First we must be willing to sacrifice personal comfort for the sake of the one we are parenting. No wonder the birth rate in America is decreasing (through abortion)because many do not want to be inconvenienced.
With God’s help we can do it. Who are you currently parenting and/or who is parenting you? Parenting is a life time calling, so please do not quit. Please stop now and pray for all the children God has assigned you to parent. May God help us all in Jesus, name, amen.
You don’t have to have given birth to a child to be a great parent. A modern example for us is mother Teresa who had no biological child of her own but was mother and father to thousands of kids in Calcutta India. We see Paul playing the same role of parenting – being a mother and father to the Thessalonians. When it is comes to the bottom line of our real job as responsible citizens of God’s kingdom, we are all in the parenting business.
Do you have anything else to boast of at the end of life except the lives of people you and I have touched and nurtured? The prize and crown of this life is the people God have used us to nurture and draw close to him. Apostle Paul came to this conclusion regarding the Thessalonians. Do you have any other measure of success in life? If it is not this, then you must rethink it. Could your measure of success be the houses, cars and gold we own? If they are, then God really feels sorry for us because we are going nowhere with them. Will you be a mother and a father to someone today? The parenting role is to encourage anyone toward meaningful relationship with God. We are all candidates on both sides – as children as well as parents.
Let’s learn from Apostle Paul the mothering and fathering skills that he employed with the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 2
1You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.
As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[a]
17But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. 19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Here is my observation in addition to the ones you may have:
1. God used Paul and his company to birth the Thessalonians into the kingdom by preaching the word of God. Paul was like a woman who had just given birth to a child and then ordered to leave the child behind and chased out of town. “But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us” vs. 17-18. This was very painful to Paul and that was why he assigned Silas and Timothy to oversee the young church. Please read Acts 17 for the detail.
2. The goal of parenting was summed up by Paul, “urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory”. This is the real goal and objective of parenting. I wish this will sink into us parents. We are often pursuing other goals that place this in a lower priority. Most of us parents have chosen the secular educational goal as the number one priority in total neglect of the real and most important goal – training our children to live lives worthy of God. Please don’t get me wrong, education is important but for what shall it profit our child if he/she gains the whole world through education and good job and loose his/her own soul. May God help us to get our priorities right in order. This I believe will reduce the blood pressure of most parents knowing that in comparison to eternity not making all “A”s in grade is not the end of the world.
3. Paul as a mother. 7”But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children”. This is the true heart of a mother. Another translation says “feeding and caring” for them. Mother’s role implies personal involvement and giving of oneself for the sake of another.
4. As a father. “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” vs.11-12. The heart of a father and his role – “encouraging, comforting and urging” with the word of God. These are not easy tasks and it implies repetition and continous effort. Let’s not give up in one try. It will also include saying things to our children that are not popular such as “no” to things we know may harm them.
5. Notice a powerful word here about sharing ourselves. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us”. This is true illustration of love and living in community of Christ. Most people will share the gospel but not their lives with you. What exactly is Paul referring to here? Paul in his parenting role spent his own resources and money to minister to the Thessalonians. This would have included sharing meals with them. Whenever we have the opportunity, may we share our lives with people including our joys and pains. We will make more impact on people when we share our lives with them.
6. Apostle Paul understood very clearly and without confusion that God is the one “who calls you into his kingdom and glory”. See also Thessalonians 1:4 on election. As parents we must keep this truth constantly in mind. You cannot make your son or daughter a Christian or a follower of Christ. God is the one who calls. We can only point them to the Word of God and to Christ and pray for them.
7. We must therefore constantly pray for our children as Paul did. I believe this the greatest gift we can give anyone or our child. Paul constantly gave thanks for the Thessalonians vs. 13 and always mentioning them to God the Father of all who is truly the real parent (chapter 1 vs.2).
8. Let us also remember like Paul that “the word of God, which is at work in you who believe”. We must share the truth of the word with our children in digestible form and not in overdose. God defends his word, so don’t worry and be happy. Let God’s word convict our children.
9. Is it worth all the effort? Yes, look at Paul’s trophy. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy”. People are our real crown and joy. There is no greater reward than hearing “well done, good and faithful servant” when it comes to the parenting of our spiritual and biological/adopted children.
Have you accepted the challenge and call to parenting? I like the title to a parenting book that says, “Parenting is not for Cowards”. To be an influence in any person’s life that will cause him/her to “live life worthy of God”, it will cost us something. First we must be willing to sacrifice personal comfort for the sake of the one we are parenting. No wonder the birth rate in America is decreasing (through abortion)because many do not want to be inconvenienced.
With God’s help we can do it. Who are you currently parenting and/or who is parenting you? Parenting is a life time calling, so please do not quit. Please stop now and pray for all the children God has assigned you to parent. May God help us all in Jesus, name, amen.
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