Parents whose primary focus in trying to raise their children is to get them to live right often lose their kids to wrong things. Good conduct is NOT the goal of good parenting. Preparing children for life/to have a future is the goal of good parenting. Without keeping the end goal first and foremost in front of children, it is impossible to guide them properly and to motivate them successfully. If the principle stated above is true of parenting, then it is doubly true of leading Gods children. Being taught that God has a plan and purpose in this life and the next and that He specifically designed each of us to have a specific and unique part and place in Gods plan and purpose (His Kingdom) is the primary goal and purpose of good pastoring. Only teaching children and/or saints (believers) to live right is setting them up to fail and eventually give up. We were designed by the Creator God to NEED purpose. If parents/pastors DONT teach their children/saints what that purpose is, then both will be directionless in their life. Directionless souls dont accidentally wander into good things, they wander aimlessly into trouble. When the goal of parenting and/or pastoring is good conduct, EVERY struggle, slip up, and error is blown way out of proportion. When the goal is participation in purpose, then mistakes/personal failures are dealt with positively (through the Blood of Jesus), and the child/saint is encouraged to move on - continue on in pursuit of the purpose. The first puts the focus on the child/saint and their great failure. The second keeps the focus on the goal and helps the child/saint to move past their humanity and its weaknesses and to stay true to the purpose. The Bible is full of flawed people through whom God did great things. Hum! Flawed people? Is there really any other kind? No! Just people - all flawed! But through and by the Grace of God, flawed people can fulfill Gods purpose and see great things accomplished, IF they live a life focused on purpose and not on themselves.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:51:08 +0000
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