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“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6, NIV).”

School sessions are upon us. Some schools here in Southside Virginia have begun with others beginning soon. Please be covering schools with prayer. Pray for discernment, peace, productivity. Pray for God to shine brightly through all who claim Him. But, can I ask you to do something more than pray? Lead. Your child, and the children around you, need your help. They learn by watching you. They will learn respect by the respect they see you give. Their speech will be the speech they hear come from your mouth…as well as the speech you allow them to use. They learn to love by how you love, how to serve by how you serve. Instead of being dependent on schools to educate our children and the churches to teach them about the Bible, it’s actually our duty as parents, grandparents, mentors, coaches, friends, to teach them while using these other platforms to help in the process. Children truly learn by watching and listening to you. “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t work. It didn’t work when you were growing up and it still doesn’t work today. Set the example in all things. Ok? Ok. Good.

All three of my children are now grown and gone. They’re on their own adventures. I’ve seen them succeed, making me oh-so-proud. I’ve seen them fail. As a parent that hurts because I desire to jump in and help and do things for them, but that doesn’t always help. It oftentimes hurts and makes them rely on others instead of doing for themselves. We have around us a dependent generation that feels life owes them everything. No. Life owes us nothing. My wife and I often told our children as they were growing up that we weren’t raising them to be the child they desired but to be the adults they needed to become. As a parent, it was my job to train them and lead them. We did the dishes for them until they learned how then they helped do them.

We did their laundry until they learned how, then they did their laundry. I paid their bills until they got their own jobs and now they pay their own bills. I was not their best friend. I am their parent. I love and cherish them. Now that they’re grown I’m loving being a friend and seeing their delight in being independent. I’ll always be here for them…but I love seeing them grow and do on their own. Lead well.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.