Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
(Ps. 127:3)

Parents are privileged to be the vessels in each family through whom God desires to promote His eternal purpose. Parents are responsible to be fruitful and multiply, and to aid in the production of Godly character and maturity in their children. Parents are also responsible to help bring forth the ministry potential God has placed in each child.

It is important that you don't just put all of your children in one bag and think they're all alike, because they're not. They are individuals. They all have their own call from God. When we listen to our children as parents, they tell us what's in their heart and we have to be able to develop it.

Don't Squash The Gift Within
One of the things my youngest child shared was that she believed she was going to eventually be a lawyer. When you have that kind of call on your life, there are certain things you do. Lawyers are inquisitive; they ask questions about everything.

My two other kids had a problem dealing with that. I had to explain to them that I was not going to squash the ministry or calling that she had in her life. We (our family) had to all learn how to deal with it, because if you squash it, that child would have more problems developing that gift at a later time.

As parents, we are not to squash our children's dreams just because we don't understand them. Instead, we must help our children by working with them and developing the gift in them.

It is likely that many of their desires will change. Then it is up to parents to recognize the change and to change with them. We should find out as much as we can about what they're interested in and then expose them to that field. We should help them understand clearly what they are called to do.

Remember that the job of parents is to develop God's eternal purpose in our children. One of the ways that is done is by developing godly character and exposing them to areas of their interests.

Study Reference: Jeremiah 29:11

Keith Butler Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.