Just as a plant needs water and human life needs care, a family needs love and respect in order to function optimally.
There is a great need in every household for love and respect to prevail. These must be sown, and those who are called to sow love and respect are the parents.
This does not happen through shouting, violence, or mistreatment, but through the wisdom of God and the love of God—by showing and teaching children the will of God.
As parents, our lives must be a testimony before our children.
Keep this in mind!
Do everything possible to avoid arguing in front of your children.
Do not belittle one another.
Do not speak badly about one another in front of the children.
Always demonstrate love in their presence.
Each parent must function as intended: the father as the head of the household and the mother as the helper.
Avoid overruling one another in every way.
In a household, it is not about “mother is in charge” or “father is in charge,” but about working together to establish order, love, and respect.
Always make decisions concerning your children in unity, not divided.
Make correct decisions, based on the Word of God, so that you always have a solid foundation.
Teach your children the ways of God from a young age so they can make the right decisions in life.
Always show forgiveness to one another, so that children grow up with the understanding that it is good not to hold resentment against others.
Teach your children that they can always come back to you, because that is biblical—just as there is nothing we can do without being able to return to God.
Maintain constant personal contact; set digital contact aside—do not live through apps and video calls.
Show obedience to God, and your children will show obedience to you as parents.
Do everything possible not to insult your children, so that no wounded child walks around in the home with pain in their heart.
As parents, you must be pillars of encouragement for your children and never discourage them, because the encouragement of parents is sacred.
Where there is love and respect, honor will naturally come to you as parents.
If you honor your own father and mother, your children will also honor you as parents.
Never tell your child that they cannot succeed or that they will not achieve something. Instead, teach them to keep trying, and they will succeed.
If you love and respect your child, you discipline your child, because discipline comes from God.
Never allow a child to do whatever they want, because that signifies a lack of love, even for their own good.
Remember: if you sow love and respect, you will reap love and respect.
Teach your child that they have victory over the enemy, because they are a child of God.
“Therefore, whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Mark 7:12)
Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)
Bear with one another and forgive one another if any of you has a complaint against someone. Just as the Lord forgave you, so you must also forgive.
Mother and father are one in the eyes of God, in the eyes of their children, and in the eyes of the entire community.
Love and respect.
Pastor Marcel Balootje