It’s easy to look at young vibrant children and want to tell them things that bring dimples to their cheeks and sparkles to their eyes. Unfortunately, these moments we treasure in filling their little hearts with sweet temporary dreams can be fleeting and bring so much future damage to their soul.
Telling a child that they can be anything they want to be in this world sounds loving, but it’s based on the comfort of lies, not on the truth. It’s a fleshly snare that preys on worldly fantasy rather than on biblical reality. This false belief of having the entire world at their fingertips is the enemy’s game to leave them confused with too many options, so they will waste time either wandering astray or sitting idle with overwhelm.
In order to follow the Lord’s command to raise a child in the way they should go, we should be guiding them through discipleship, teaching them who they are via who God is, and steering them toward their gifts and talents from the Lord so they don’t waste precious years of their lives pining after a dream to become someone they were never ordained to become.
It’s conflicting to tell a child to follow their flesh in order to become anything they want when God’s Word tells them that the purpose of their life is to glorify God and living in the flesh cannot please Him.
Instead of giving into the world’s temporary peace that leads to confusion, we can teach them the hard truth that they were not put here to be whatever they want, but to light up the world as vessels of the Lord. We can discern and guide their God-given gifts, teach them to deny their flesh and follow the Spirit, and remind them that their Father in heaven is the giver of good things, but what they want may not be what they actually need.
The temporary disappointments of rejecting worldly lies and false hope may bring heartache, but the hard truth opens the door to everlasting hope and peace, so that instead of becoming overwhelmed with confusion, they can be consumed by the love of truth– the only real love of God that holds the power to set them free.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
(1 Corinthians 13:6)
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
(John 10:10)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Romans 12:2)
