John 5:20
“For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”
I certainly did not have perfect parents, but I was privileged to have parents who loved me. Both my father and my mother expressed their love in words and action. It was their love that caused me not to expect them to be perfect parents. It was their love that motivated me not to want to disappoint them by living an immoral life. It is amazing what a parent’s love will motivate a child to do.
How do we know that a parent loves their child? The verse above plainly shows us the proof of a parent’s love. Jesus said, “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth…” You will notice that the proof that the Father loved Jesus was that the Father showed Jesus how to do all things. It says in verse 19, “…The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” In other words, Jesus was a replica of the Father. Jesus copied everything that the Father showed Him to do. Every act that Jesus performed on Earth He learned from the Father. The love of the Father caused Him to teach Jesus by example how to do the things He did on Earth.
The greatest thing a parent can do for their child is to show them how to live life. Parenting is not just producing babies. Anybody can do this. Parenting is loving the child enough to show them how to do things in life, and correcting them when they do those things the wrong way. You cannot be a correspondent parent and expect your children to know how to live life. If you love your child, take the time to show them how to live life.
Moreover, if a child learns what to do in life by their parents’ example, that they will learn both good and bad from them. You can’t expect your child not to do something if you are doing it. Your children are going to copy what you say whether it is good or bad. Your children are going to copy the good and the bad of what you watch and where you go. You are teaching your children their habits of life by your example. If you don’t want your children to have the same bad habits that you have, it is time to conquer your bad habits. Parents often bemoan the fact of how hard it is to teach their children good habits and easy for them to learn the bad habits; however, your children didn’t learn your bad habits overnight, they learned them by watching you over time. Always keep in mind that your children learn by example.
Parent, if you truly love your child, you are going to have to take the time to teach them how to serve the LORD, care for finances and live life all by example. Every mother should slow down and teach their daughters how to cook, clean house, do laundry and follow her husband’s leadership by example. Every father should show his son how to mow the lawn, keep the garage in order, change the oil in the car, fix things in the home that are in disrepair, and how to treat a lady properly by loving his wife all by example. Yes, you may be able to do things around the house more quickly without taking the time to show your children, but a loving parent is willing to be inconvenienced by taking the time to show their children how to live life and perform their responsibilities. The proof of your love is simply taking time to show your children how to live life.