Parents: Will You Be Found ‘So Doing’?

“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing” (Matt. 24:46). Fourteen words describe a servant busy “doing,” acting and working to fulfill his appointed commission, at Christ’s Return.

Similarly, parents have an appointed commission from God. In their case, it is to raise their children and prepare them for adulthood. This commission is even more vital and complex in the years just before the arrival of God’s Kingdom. Christ could have easily inspired Matthew to write, “Blessed is that parent, whom his lord when he comes shall find so doing.” In the briefest terms, Christ expects parents to be busy fulfilling their roles upon His arrival.

Parents found in this active state will indeed be “blessed.” This happiness will not only be the result of successfully parenting in the most challenging age in human history but also for finishing strong the task of preparing the human leaders of the next generation. Parenting God’s way brings joy both now and then.

The phrase “find so doing” offers sound counsel on being a profitable parent. It means to “produce, make-ready, and make.” What better way to describe childrearing!

The Father promises membership in the ruling God Family to those who have His Spirit and obey Him. Like God, every parent has high hopes and dreams for their children. Our offspring can go on to become leaders and human examples of God’s way of life in the world to come—if we do our part now in training them.

To reach this high aim, parents must actively prepare children now for their future role.

Stop! Reread the last sentence to let it sink in. You have a role in preparing future civil engineers, architects, writers and farmers, among many other vocations that will be sorely needed.

Our children belong to God. Psalm 127 states: “Children are an heritage [portion] of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward [benefit, compensation]” (vs. 3). He gives us stewardship over them for our benefit as well as theirs. Building and expanding families is God’s ultimate plan.

As world conditions deteriorate, pressure on you as a parent compounds. You must not only guide your family against the current of society, you must also do so with little time left in the age. Facing the challenge to produce wholesome young people and leaders for the next generation requires focus, dedication, commitment and God’s help.

Meet the Challenge

Christian parents came out of this world’s customs, values, traditions and false teachings at some point in their past. These parents must lead their children along this same path. Your child’s eyes will be fixed on either copying society and their peers or following your example and direction.

Consider the numerous daily challenges your children face. Decades ago, society was more in line with understanding the importance of family. Training a solid future generation was a more common goal.

Today, a culture of entitlement and rebellion sets the tone.

Defiant classmates surround your child from the moment they step on the school bus early in the morning until they return home from afterschool activities. Youth in this world hastily resist, contest and have contempt for authority. The book of Proverbs describes this generation (1:10-19). Their “feet run to evil,” and through their words and actions they can “entice,” flatter and persuade our children to follow suit.

Our young people daily enter an environment much worse than their parents experienced. They hear hundreds of curse and swear words from fellow pupils and even teachers. Instant communication through social media also allows perverse communication to spread around the world beyond your child’s school and neighborhood.

While kids portray themselves as strong and capable of handling pressures, they are still very impressionable. The perverse environment that engulfs them will draw them in if parents do not take steps to counter it.

Because schools primarily focus on skill development, it is up to parents to fill the void by instilling morals and strength of character. This takes time and patience, two things that can be lacking when facing the challenge of running a household. In single-parent households or homes where parents work multiple jobs, spending time on character development and other principles can feel impossible.

It takes dedication and fortitude as a parent to face these challenges! We must apply another basic Christian principle by never giving up or becoming “weary in well doing” (Gal. 6:9), eventually getting worn down and allowing our efforts to wane. We must determine to finish what we started and complete the mission of properly raising kids.

Part of meeting the challenge in front of you is to know that God does not expect you to have all the answers on your own. Today, there are many supposed experts out there on childrearing. But God and the Church He is leading are the only ones who truly have all the answers.

Proper parental stewardship begins with understanding that your children need parents who are involved in their lives. From there, you can start to take steps to help your children develop.

Proper Perspective

Children are parents’ greatest stewardship! To better comprehend this, we should examine the meaning of a steward. According to Dictionary.com, a steward is “a person who acts as the surrogate of another, especially by managing property, financial affairs, an estate, etc.” Large real estate and investment firms build their entire business model on managing or being a steward over other people’s property and financial investments. These investments can reach millions of dollars in value.

Similarly, parents act as a “surrogate” to their children in place of God. Fathers and mothers must be “found so doing” overseeing every aspect of a child’s life on the Father’s behalf.

This includes something as essential as supervising children’s physical diets. Adults must ensure little ones receive wholesome, healthy, nutritious meals. If left to the child’s discretion, candy, potato chips, and other junk food would too often be the choice!

Parents are also to be intricately involved in their child’s education, skill and talent development, entertainment and social life. Again, responsible parents cannot leave these important decisions to young, impressionable, inexperienced minds. Far too many parents in society leave these elements of their child’s life to others.

More on the definition of a steward sheds additional light on how it applies to parents: “The responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving” (ibid). This certainly describes our relationship with our precious little ones.

Parents should love their children and remember they are overseeing and protecting them on God’s behalf. This responsibility makes parental involvement much deeper and more personal than that of an investment broker. God is carefully watching to see what we do with this power.

When you return home from work, hungry and tired, do you find yourself high-strung, quickly irritated, or not wanting to be bothered by children seeking your attention? Realize that the time you share together is precious. On average, parents spend five hours with their children per week. Those living God’s Way should strive for much more! It is incumbent on us to maximize this time. It takes self-control to put aside your emotions and individual needs and be there for your child.

Often the only thing your children needs is an ear to listen. They need to know that they are cared for and heard.

Found So Doing

Parenting in the modern age is not easy, especially in a society where anything goes. Our stewardship is even more essential to our children’s success than ever before. Fathers and mothers must redeem and maximize the time preparing their children (Col. 4:5).

God the Father describes Himself as a Master Potter. Despite finding it in a deplorable state, God’s vision is to shape the nation of Israel and help it grow and prosper (Jer. 18:1-6).

This should be encouraging to a parent with older children who were not exposed to proper childrearing while they were young. Do not be discouraged if your child is a teen and you are just getting started. It is not too late. Just as God will work with the modern nations of Israel, start where you are with righting the ship in guiding your child.

The shift begins with being willing to teach God’s Way “when you sit…when you walk…and when you lie down” (Deut. 6:7). In other words, always set the right example. Incorporate teaching opportunities on a wide variety of subjects every moment you are with your children. Make the lessons age-appropriate.

Here are some examples of areas to consider as teaching moments. Teach your kids about God, how to have a relationship with Him, the benefits of this relationship, and to do basic Bible study and prayer. Teach about the importance of truth. Show them how to seek the Kingdom of God first in their lives. Help your children develop a love for reading books rather than only watching television and videos online. Reading wires their brain and creates pathways enabling the mind to think deeply.

Teach your kids to be well-rounded on a variety of instructive topics. Encourage them to ask questions about life, what they learn at school, and God’s Way. You should not only be ready with an answer to these questions but also tutor them to think and meditate for themselves.

Explore your surroundings and spend time in nature with your children. Teach them to value work and how to save money. Teach them to pursue excellence in all they do and to never quit. Teach them to communicate and express their thoughts adequately. This will help them develop engaging personalities and to communicate effectively at school now and later in the workplace. Remember, your example goes a long way—they learn to communicate based on how you speak to them.

Teach them how to dress appropriately for formal and informal occasions. Teach your children good manners and to respect you, their teachers, and those in authority.

The main point is: Teach! Teach! Teach!

Proper Parental Roles

Do not forget to display to your children the proper roles of husbands and wives in your marriage. They are looking to you to understand how to behave and relate to the opposite sex. Set them up for a successful marriage in the future by teaching them that marital affection and sex are between husband and wife. Demonstrate that the man is the head of the home, and the wife is his help. Show them that both dad and mom are responsible for them as children.

The apostle Paul instructed fathers to “provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Dads must avoid being harsh.

Mothers, who are naturally nurturers, often play a more prominent role during children’s formative years. Use this God-given ability. Nurturing and admonition transform as children grow older, meaning parents should adapt their approach.

Without parental direction, kids follow their peers’ examples. But proper correction from a loving father and mother drives foolishness away (Prov. 22:15). Children require both feeding, protection, counsel and reproof. These will help you to stay focused on the end goal.

Admittedly, everything contained in this article is a lot to consider. How can you do all of this? Do not hesitate to ask for help and counsel from the ministry and to reference the Church’s available literature. Both can remind you of principles that will strengthen your children.

Parents in God’s Church are more prepared and better equipped to teach their children than any other generation in history. To learn more and fully understand your role as a parent-steward, read or review our book Train Your Children God’s Way.

Will you take Christ’s instruction to heart to “Occupy till I come?” (Luke 19:13). The choice is yours. Be determined to be found “so doing” when He returns.