When my oldest was two, I set up a playdate with a new friend and her daughter. As we pushed our girls in the swing, my friend asked:
âWhere does your little girl go to school?â
My daughter was two. Living in an affluent area, my husband and I noticed that most children started in private school by age two or three, but I explained to my friend that we felt like kindergarten was a good time for our daughter to start school, so formal education was not yet on my mind. After all, she was just two.
âOh,â said my friend. âWell, I hope youâre on the waiting lists. And she might be a little behind if you wait that long. So, I assume youâll homeschool until then?â
I was completely flustered and feared that talking about the necessity of homeschooling might produce actual, visible hives; nevertheless, I calmly inquired about all the things I needed to do to get her ready for school.
By the end of our conversation, I was convinced we had completely failed as parents. At that point in her life, my daughter’s most educational moments came from “Little Einstein,” videos filled with floating shapes and bright squiggles.
I figured she might as well kiss college good-bye.
It was over.
And she was only two.
I rushed home, promptly called my husband, and I informed him that our two year old daughter needed to start private school. Tomorrow.
Worldly Voices in Parenting
Iâm convinced that most mothers spend much of their day feeling guilty about something. There’s guilt over whether or not we are providing the best education, guilt over working too much, guilt over not starting a child in a club team early enough, guilt over beginning music lessons too late, and guilt over the way a child behaves in public. I’ll add to the list my own guilt over a recent dinner I “made” for my teen: buttered Wonder Bread, peanuts (they need protein, of course), and veggie chips (they need veggies, duh).
As parents, weâre bombarded with an ever-flowing fountain of advice, instruction, and information; itâs no wonder we feel overwhelmed with whether weâre doing this mothering thing âright.â
Social Media is a primary culprit. The one-dimensional stories feed us empty calories, but we stuff ourselves with their pictures and videos. And when we turn it off, we usually feel unsatisfied or guilty because our family doesn’t look like them, our kids don’t play like that, and I certainly donât appear as put together as her. What we hear as a result is: youâre not good enough. You should be doing so much better.
The Voice of the Lord in Parenting
But there is One whose voice should speak louder to your heart than any other in your calling as a parent. The voice of the Lord is heard throughout the pages of Scripture, and He speaks to us with clarity and love. But too often His words are diminished by the overpowering words of the world.
In Psalm 29, David writes about the powerful and mighty voice of our Lord. The Psalmist says:
âThe voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.â
The voice of the Lord is over the waters. The most âsuccessfulâ parenting plan youâve been told does not compare to the wisdom and authority of the Words of God. His voice has dominion over all things.
When youâre confused from differing advice on how to proceed in a parenting decision, listen to the voice of the Lord. He has more power than your greatest fear in parenting, and God will provide an abundance of wisdom as you guide your children (James 1:5). Trust Him.
This doesnât mean you wonât make mistakes. Every parent doesâŚdaily. But that mighty voice of God which tells the sun to rise and to set is the same voice that quiets an anxious heart, forgives a repentant spirit, and comforts an overwhelmed mother.
His voice is in all, through all, and it is to all. Listen to His trustworthy words as you parent your child.
The voice of the Lord is powerful and majestic. Do you reflect on the grandeur of God? When we see our children through the grid of Godâs power and might, we gain so much perspective as parents. His ways are greater than our ways, His holiness is magnificent, and His love is beyond comprehension. And this God created your child.
Our most important calling as parents is to teach our children about this awesome God (Deut. 6:7). Outside of this responsibility, there is not one correct way to parent a child. There is not a single schedule that is ârightâ when it comes to teaching sleep, there is not a manual for raising teenagers to be compliant, and there is no formula that ensures our actions will produce God-fearers. Worldly words of advice in these areas can be helpful, and sometimes necessary, but they are not ultimate.
What is ultimate is the voice of God which speaks powerfully in our weakness and reminds us that His grace is sufficient. His voice speaks into our insecurities and reminds us that we are not called to perfection but to faithfulness. The voice of the Lord reaches deep into our soul giving us the courage to follow His Word as we guide our children in the ways of the Lord rather than simply following what is popular in the time.
Because of Godâs grace at work in your life, be encouraged. He is working in and through you, as feeble as your parenting may feel. Listen to His voice, the One who gives you breath, and trust fully that He loves your child infinitely more than you ever could or ever will.
