This article was originally posted here.
Do you sense the urgency of our calling as moms and dads? Or do you consider your parenthood a calling? Do you consider it a career? Or is parenthood something that just kind of happened to you?
Think about it: we only have our children in our homes and in our care for around 18 years. Eighteen short years. As a parent, how does that make you feel? Does it make you want to curl up in the fetal position and cry? Or does it stir something within you?
Our children are growing up more and more every day. The time is short. Every time a birthday rolls around, I realize that the time is slipping away. And what I can do is be faithful in the here and now. But we don’t have time to sit here and lament the days that have gone by. We want to be proactive and move forward! Urgency means that the matter at hand requires swift action. So now is the time to dream, plan, think, and invest deeply into our offspring. They are looking to us to prepare them for a successful life. Let’s do it well, folks!
Parenting Is Like Farming
See, if we want to prepare our children to be a blessing to the world, we need to do things on purpose. We need to be intentional. Think about parenting in light of farming.
Farmers do not simply throw seed out on a field with hopes that it will bring an abundant, healthy harvest. There is a lot of intentional preparation that goes into successful farming. Specific tools are used. The soil is tested to make sure it is healthy and balanced. The soil is carefully plowed and prepared for the seed. Then, the seeds are planted according to specific protocols, with the right density and spacing, and at the right time. Fertilizer is applied. The field is irrigated regularly. Herbicides are used to keep weeds at bay, and in some cases, weeds are carefully done away with by hand. After all of this is done properly, there is a bountiful harvest. But it was the careful work, knowledge, diligence, foresight, and planning of the farmer that made this happen.
Managing the Most Important Place On Earth
In the same way, we are called to a very important task. As parents, we have such a high calling on our lives. We are raising the next generation. And this will require intentionality and planning. We need to have a vision for where we are going. Let us exercise foresight, be diligent in our labor, and remain patient in midst of hardship and inconvenience.
Parenting well is hard work! It requires persistence and tenacity. Parents, if your children are still in your home, now is the season. Plant those seeds. Water diligently. Put thought into your family life.
Let’s not forget the urgency of our calling. Remember, we are managing the most important place on earth, our homes.
For more insight into managing the home well and parenting on purpose, check out: The Most Important Place On Earth: What A Christian Home Looks Like And How To Build One by Robert Wolgemuth.
