As Jesus was tried by the devil, so children will try the faith of parents. Either fathers shape their children to be godly people or the children shape the fathers to accept the world and compromise their faith. I’ve seen it more times than I care to count.

Experience has shown me that families go through a crucible, a great trial and test of faith when their children are going through the transformative period from child to young adult. It is the case often
that parents either lead their children to God or else the children lead their parents away. It’s sometimes the case that the parents and children go separate ways as their children reject the faith and parents let the prodigal go away. And sometimes, and this is God’s will, the children embrace the the faith of their parents and there is unity in the home. But most tragically, And then sometimes the children reject the parent’s faith and due to the conflict, the parents relax their beliefs and practices to keep peace with their children. Their children’s wants and happiness takes precedence. It is the case of family unity at the cost of faithfulness to God.

The conflict gets transferred to the church. When Christian parents go the way of their children, there will not only be the move away from God but also away from the church family. The church can’t be expected to sit by without saying something about this. This is the time church discipline should be applied and often the time that the family is removed from the church.

Categories: Children, discipline, parent, parenting, parents, Proverbs 22:6