Letting Them Go
As godly parents, we need to come to grips with a timeless biblical reality: Our kids are not our own. They’re God’s. God gives us children to raise, love, teach and train for his glory. But like everything else we have, they’re on loan. We are stewards of our children; we are not their owners. I’m asking you to consider–and more importantly, to pray about–crossing that mental and emotional line where you accept the fact that you are raising kids that are not really yours, kids that you are training and preparing to leave home. I want you to begin to pray about, prepare for and parent towards the day when your children make a clean, healthy and God-honoring break from their dependence on you.
I’ll never forget the day I crossed that line with my son, Will. He was about three. I was playing with him at a playground near our house. He was laughing and giggling, and then he just gave me this piercing look. It was like time just froze in that instant. I can still see his face. In the moment that Will looked at me, I saw him as an adult, not a child. I saw him as a man. It was like God was saying to me, “Will is not yours; he’s mine. I have plans for him that you know nothing about. I will care for him and protect him, but I need you to let go of him.”
Those were some tough words for a dad to hear. I didn’t like them. But I got the message. I made the clear decision to start preparing my son for the day that he would leave Susie’s and my care (a day that arrived in August of 2005). I began looking for opportunities to grow and stretch him. I began to be more aware of teachable moments and of his critical life transitions. When I crossed that emotional line, I became a better parent. You will too.
Have you had that encounter with God when he gently reminded you of his claim on your child’s life? Maybe it came when you were rocking her to sleep one night in her nursery, or when he took his first steps. Maybe God spoke to you when she said her first words. Or maybe you saw it when you dropped him off for his first day of school. Whatever the occasion, I bet you’ve had that moment when God reminded you of your job description as a parent. If you haven’t had it yet, start praying for it. You won’t love your kids any less, but you will see them differently.
