What it takes to be a good parent in the Christian way
Parenting is one of the most difficult jobs that God has given man to execute.
Before going into the details of understanding what makes a good parent and how train and guide children towards godliness as a Christian, one has to ask: What is Parenting?
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Parenting: This can be defined as the process of promoting and supporting the physical, emotional, social, intellectual development and spiritual life of a child from infancy to adulthood.
What makes a good parent?
The Bible tells us that children are a blessing and gift to parents, yet there are times we are left confused and worried that we aren't doing it right. But a good parent strives to make decisions in the best interest of the children.
In other words, a good parent doesn’t have to be perfect because no one is perfect and even the children are not perfect but it does not mean that we shouldn’t work towards that goal.
According to Josephat Walugembe, a father, a good a parent must set an example for their children to impart good behavior.
Walugembe said that a good father must prepare the children to be able to work for themselves even when he is not a round.
Although parenting books can be helpful and give Biblical advice on specific topics and struggles, it is the Word of God that can offer parents wisdom and encouragement on how to train and guide their children towards Godliness as follows.
In the book of Ephesians 6:4, Parents are encouraged to bring their children to God in a better way. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.
Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
The former Uganda Christian University (UCU) Rev. Amos Kimera now the Rector at St.Peter’s Anglican Church in Belmont understands parenting as the act of working with the children in all you do, let them look at the way you do things, soon they start doing what you do.
Rev. Kimera refers to Proverbs 22:6-8 “ Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 8. He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail."
Kimera said that as a Father, he was groomed by his father and this has helped him to become a good father.
“My father used to go with me to church; he opened the Bible and taught out of it. Now I am doing the same for my children,” said Rev. Amos Kimera.
Kamwokya Church of God Pastor Alex Muhumuza, encouraged parents not to spare a cane and spoil their children. Muhumuza said that according to the "Proverbs 23 :13 withhold not discipline from a child for if you strike and punish him with the reed like rod, he will not die."
He urged parents to always ensure that family life is based on true Christian values that preserve a godly legacy.
In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, God leads the Israelites out of bondage. He commands them to teach their children all God had done for them. The lord desired that future generations would do the same.
