Raising great kids in a troubled world (5)

Wed, 15 May 2024

‘So that they won't become discouraged.’ Colossians 3:21

Embittered children ultimately become discouraged. A discouraged child is less hopeful, less enthusiastic, lacking in determination, and easily led astray. By destroying a child’s hope, you’re undermining their God-given temperament. Children are born with optimism, inspiration, anticipation, and possibilities. Without hope, there is nothing to inspire them. Hopelessness brings depression and darkness of heart and soul. When you embitter the children in your care, you undermine their hope. When you demoralise them, you destroy their confidence, leaving them afraid, insecure, and unable to face life.

Self-confidence is necessary for a healthy self-image, for relating to others, for succeeding in their education and a career. A disheartened kid loses certainty and becomes a broken spirit. The spirit is the centre of the being. A broken spirit produces a broken person. ‘A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.' (Proverbs 17:22 CSB), leaving a child with their core disabled. Our streets are full of broken kids. Broken-spirited kids lack the resolve to achieve in life, to set goals and reach them. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish: …’ (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). It’s your vision that gives you the inner strength to see something through to its accomplishment in spite of the obstacles encountered.

It takes an intact, resilient child to overcome life’s hurdles. How can you help them? ‘Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.’ (Ephesians 6:4 RSV). You must cherish them, teach them God’s Word even when they seem indifferent, practise what you preach, be consistent with your rules, let them see you reading God’s Word and praying regularly. Always encourage them and never, never give up on them!