Yours, Mine, and Ours
I’ve often heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Wikipedia tells us that “is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must interact with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. … This does not mean an entire village is responsible for raising your children or the children of a crowd.”
This brings me to the question: who is responsible for the discipleship of a child? Is that the parents’ responsibility or the church’s responsibility or the children’s pastor . . . ?
We all know that parents have the greatest opportunity of impacting their children for Christ. They have the most time with their children, and they have significant influence on their children.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
God’s Word gives plenty of scripture that is clear instructions for parents to take the lead in the discipleship of their children; however when parents aren’t equipped spiritually to take that responsibility on, what happens to that child?
I think it is a valid question, and some would say a hard question, to answer. I happen to think there is a simple answer to this question.
God’s Word tells us in Proverbs 22:6:
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
What I have always found fascinating about this scripture is Solomon never addresses a particular person or party. This isn’t specifically addressed to parents or the church. It is broad and general instructions to anyone who reads this verse.
I know that as a children’s pastor I have a responsibility and obligation to share the gospel and love of Christ with every child I come in contact with. I often ask myself on Sunday afternoons, did I make the most of my time and pour as much of God’s Word into their lives as I could? Did I demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ to our children today? It is part of my calling to train up children in the Lord.
So what is your responsibility? As a parent, grandparent, teacher, neighbor, children’s church worker — have you taken the opportunity to share the love of Christ with the children you come in contact with? Have you taken the opportunity to share with them a story of God’s goodness? Have you taken the time to read to them from God’s Word or spend a few minutes in prayer with them? Do you bring them to church on Sundays while their parents sleep in or make excuses not to come to church? I think it is time for Christians to quit letting the world influence our children. I think it is time for us to stand in the gap and be the Body of Christ. It is time we take responsibility and opportunities to disciple the children in our “village.”
There was a 1968 movie (remade in 2005) by the title, “Yours, Mine and Ours.” It was an entertaining story of a blended family of 18 kids. It was all of “her children” and “his children” and the story of how they eventually became “their children.” When it comes to discipling our children, I like the idea of “Yours, Mine and Ours.” It only increases the odds that they will come to know Jesus in a lasting and meaningful way because we each take the time to invest in them and share the love of Christ with them!
