Giving Your Children Purpose – Part 1

When your children wake up each morning, do they know their purpose for the day? Do they understand their ultimate purpose goes beyond being educated and doing chores, and even seeking their own interests?

What influence are we having on our children concerning their mission from God? Are we teaching them, even indirectly, that their sole purpose is to pursue their own desires and constantly be entertained?

This is a tough reality and one we must wake up to.

Showing your children what their purpose is will give them an entirely new angle on life and most likely it will be focused more outside themselves than it currently is now. {We can learn from this, too!}

How do we begin to know and convey this purpose?

Teach God’s Word

One way to teach your children what their purpose is in life, is to read from and teach them the Bible. Many of us know this already. The important thing is to make sure we in fact are doing this. It is vital for them to know and understand the things of God.

Many of us have read the passages in Deuteronomy which instruct us to teach God’s Word consistently and often.

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 11:18-19

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

What are a few of the purposes God has laid before us and our children?

Love God.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30

Love others.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34

Serve others.

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men… Ephesians 6:7

Share with others.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

Give to others.

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

Use Gifts for His glory.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

As we teach these to our children, we must help them to understand why we are doing these things — for the glory of God. Everything He teaches is good and right. It is absolute and everyone is called to obedience.

God desires us to love Him and love one another and each command is stemmed from the command to love. If we are not doing out of love, it is in vain.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

Well, what does that mean? It means that if we do all of the things God has called us to, but don’t do them because we love God and love others, but rather do them as a legalistic “to do” list or to bring glory to ourselves, our efforts have no purpose; we have no purpose in God.

We must learn and then teach what it means to love God and love others.

How do we love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Watch for Giving Your Children Purpose – Part 2

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