Let’s take a look under the baby blanket and get real about parenthood for a minute, shall we?
I still have a lot to learn, but one thing is certain: being a parent is difficult! It’s physically exhausting. An Olympic athlete’s knees would buckle under the strain of bringing a child into the world. The challenges of parenting only change forms as they get older; you then experience the years of restless evenings spent caring for a newborn and later you have the years of waiting up for a teenager.
The physical difficulties, however, pale in comparison to the emotional heights. There’s anxiety, stress, and more anxiety. A million hazards are hiding around every corner, as well as a thousand chances to mess everything up.
Parenting has extremely high stakes. However, as with other profound and tough partnerships in life, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. I’m reminded of this truth when I read the words of 3 John 1:4: “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth” (CSB).
Since John wrote to his friend, who was not his biological son, we know that we may give our offspring more than just our DNA. Gaius was John’s spiritual son. Although John did not change Gaius’ diapers or hold his hands as he started to walk, he felt a responsibility to help him grow in faith. According to the tone of this letter, that wasn’t always a simple or carefree undertaking.
Though this phrase is commonly heard at baby dedications, John’s encouraging remarks are about much more than raising wonderful children. They’re about passing the faith torch to the next generation, disciplining the next generation, and shining a light on those who will come after us. They’re about discipleship, which is Christ’s mission for every one of His followers.
“’Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:19-20, HCSB).
One of the ways we fulfill this commission is by passing the torch of faith from one generation to the next. It’s a message we hear throughout Scripture, that faith is an heirloom.
Sure, it’s difficult to raise the banner of truth high enough for the next generation to see. There is no comprehensive manual and no one-size-fits-all discipleship model, just as there is no one-size-fits-all parenting paradigm. However, if you put those problems and efforts on one side of the scale and the reward on the other, you’ll see that the investment pays off.
There is no greater joy than to point the next generation to the gospel of Jesus.
