LIFE LESSONS FROM A GODLY PARENT
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“When
I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in
your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you
also.”—2 Timothy 1:5
The Apostle Paul wrote a loving letter
in exhortation to Timothy whom he was mentoring. He had personal knowledge of the sincere
faith that Timothy was reared with, by his mother and grandmother. A child reared by godly parents can
accomplish much in the kingdom of God.
John and Charles Wesley were two such people.
Susanna Wesley was the mother to John
and Charles Wesley who have long been credited with founding the Methodist
movement which encouraged people to experience Jesus Christ personally. Their reform doctrine of justification by faith
was the seeds for revival. Susanna lived
from 1669-1742 and gave birth to 19 children within twenty-one years. Kathy McReynolds wrote in her book, Susanna
Wesley, that, “Susanna prayed two hours every day.”
The following is an excerpt from a
letter that she wrote to her oldest son Samuel.
I exhort you, as I am your
faithful friend; and I command you, as I am your parent, to use
your utmost diligence to make
your calling and election sure; to be faithful to your God;
and after I have said that, I
need not bid you be industrious in your calling….I have a
great and just desire that all
your sisters and your brothers should be saved as well as
you….
Susanna made the following statement
regarding her life lesson of being a
godly parent.
Though the education of so many
children must create abundance of trouble, and will
perpetually keep the mind employed as well as
the body; yet I consider it no small honor to
be
entrusted with the care of so many souls. And if that trust be but managed with
prudence
and
integrity, the harvest will abundantly recompense the toil of the seed-time;
and it will be certainly no little inheritance to the future
glory to stand forth at the last day and say, 'Lord, here
are the children which Thou hast given me, of whom I have lost none by my ill
example, nor by neglecting to instill
into their minds, in their early years, the principles of Thy true religion and virtue!'
McReynolds said that, “Many of
her thoughts on religion she wrote down and would give to her children. They
were so long that they were actually almost like books. Because of these
writings we are really able to gain a better understanding of how she thought.”
Susanna read the Bible and applied God’s principles to her life.
Then she made sure her children knew how to do the same.
The life lesson that we can learn is that no matter how
difficult your situation may be God does hear and answer the cry from the heart
of the parent. He wants us to instill
godly principles into our children, but remember, He uses parents or guardians
to do so.
Prayer—Father I thank You for my
children and with Your help I purpose to rear my children using the Bible as my
guideline and moral compass, in Jesus Name. Amen.
