Responsible

I don’t know about you, but I watch parents, and over the years I have recognized several distinguishing characteristics among those that have proven to be quite effective when it comes to raising their children. Over the next few weeks I would like to share a few of these qualities with you.

 One trait that stands out among highly effective parents is the fact that they are convinced that they are responsible. God didn’t give this responsibility to the church or the school or to the daycare; He gave it to Dad and Mom. The mandate is clear; bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child and a wise parent knows that until a child is properly trained and given ample opportunity to prove their maturity in a matter they are not prepared to make their own choices. God has given parents the authority to carry out this responsibility in the name of the Lord.

 Ineffective parents, on the other hand are caught up in all the cultural confusion of pop-psychologists. They listen to the talk show hosts who interview the ungodly and pass on the philosophy of parental passivity. They lack resolve. They are constantly asking their kids what they want in an effort to be their child’s friend rather than the wise and loving authority the child so desperately needs.

 Do responsible parents make mistakes? Do their kids mess up? Do they get frustrated? Do they have blind spots? Sure they do! They’re human like anyone else, but they refuse to play the blame game and point their fingers at the failures of other authorities. They don’t spend time making excuses, they find out where they’ve gone wrong, they search the Scriptures for God’s answers and they make age appropriate applications.

President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that said: “The Buck Stops Here”. I have found this same sense of responsibility in effective parents.