Parenting as Values Transmission

I've been thinking about how my kids will remember me or if they'll remember me at all lately. It's striking how many seek to leave their mark on their children. Some act as of they'll be remembered for their fame and achievements. Others seek to lay out a code by which their family will operate-compelling their children to live by it or fail as if life were that simple. Still many drive their children to follow after their own pre-chosen interests, not realizing the reverse effect will more than likely be the case.
Personally, I believe Biblically our call isn't to be super-parents but rather nurturers, who transmit what God cherishes to our children. With God permeating their hearts and minds; our children are more than likely to hold dearly to the values we've lived.
As we transmit values, it is so important that we steer clear of telling our children what to believe and how to live. A safe way to ensure we walk carefully is to use the Bible as our roadmap for values transmission.

And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then] You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 AMP)

Values for transmission

The sanctity of life

It's a gift to be cherished and used wisely. It's a lease that is given and taken by God at will.

The nobility of marriage

It's a place where interpersonal growth is heightened and sexual release is attained. It's not every one's calling but the calling of most.

The import of purity

We're to be holy as he is holy. Holiness embraces and emulates, who God is-beautiful, holy, blameless (no stick).

The primacy of relationship with God

Our time in GOD'S word and persistence in prayer should direct in how perceive and relate to others.

The benefit of hard work

Work isn't sinful or not noble but beneficial to us and others. We will work in the kingdom to come.

The duty of personal responsibility

We're to filter the things we do, think, and say through our relationship with God. It helps us prevent crash landings.

The joy of living

Life was not only designed for duty but for personal fulfillment and enjoyment too. We're to work well but enjoy within limits life for the beautiful thing it is.

The onus of selflessness

Keep the needs of the kingdom and others primary. Don't neglect your own needs though, managing our own post keeps us real and exemplary to others.

The opportunity of love

Loving others helps moves us into the humble life, training us to better accept, cherish, and relate to others not for what they have to give but who they are-fearfully, wonderfully made individuals.


I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. ~Harry S. Truman

Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands. ~Anne Frank

Having eyes, may we see

The Pharisees (religious leaders) couldn't know the liberty or soul prosperity of practicing Christ's teachings because they had no room for Christ's words (crowded hearts yearning for men's praise, filled with their own ways); they were plain unable to hear what Christ had to say-God help this not be said of us.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." I know that you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. (John 8:12, 31, 32, 37, 43 NIV)

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (1 Corinthians 4:5, 7 NLT)

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1 MSG)

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. (Romans 10:2, 3 NLT)

he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”
What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.” (Romans 9:12, 13, 30-33 NLT)

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:2-5 NLT)