Priorities

We also need to emulate God’s parenting priorities. He is all about family! He makes us sons and daughters and binds every believer together into one household (2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 2:19). He regards the way we treat our family as our most important testimony and our key credibility check as leaders (1 Timothy 3:4; 5:8)

Yet many ambitions and desires war against the health of our families, don’t they? During a season when I was definitely more concerned with my career than my kids (God help me, I often still am!), Psalm 127 caught my eye. It holds a stern caution that we may be wasting our time by rising early and staying up late toiling for what is temporary (food, clothes, promotion, and a roof over our head), because the Lord grants sleep to those He loves. Sleep? Does He really mean that a sign of His approval is not wealth or perfect kids, but instead rest? Not a grand house or medals and trophies, but instead peaceful sleep? Not all the stuff that symbolize success, but instead those sweet faces we wake up to in the morning (and often several times at night)? This psalm says that it is not God driving us to all this striving. Verses 3 through 5 remind us that children are “God’s best gift,” a reward from Him, and our “generous legacy.”

Clearly the psalmist understood something of this apparent juggling act between building a life and raising kids. He unlocks the truth for us: raising children is building a life. Don’t confuse it with the accumulation of wealth or climbing corporate and social ladders.

Ask Yourself: 

Do my priorities show that I place my children ahead of my career and personal pursuits?