Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - Parents Playing Offense - #8194

Friday, January 15, 2010

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On a football team you’re either “O” or “D”—which means you either play offense, trying to score point, or defense, trying to keep the other team from scoring points. You can’t be all defense or offense. It takes both to win in football and in raising kids.

’m Ron Hutchcraft, and it’s never been more dangerous to be a child these days—and therefore, it’s never been more challenging to be a parent. And it’s tempting for a parent to play mostly defense in the raising of their son or daughter. See, the danger here, though, is parenting out of fear. Jesus was concerned about His spiritual children—His disciples. His prayer for them reveals a balanced strategy for any of us with children or grandchildren: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message” (John 17:11 , 15, 20).

He’s not wanting to put them in a germ-free spiritual cocoon. He recognizes the dangers of a fallen world and he prays passionately for their protection from it. Then He sends them out into that world to help change it. That’s a great model for moms and dads. Parenting defensively with little offense makes it looks like we’re afraid of a darkness that is, in reality, no match for our Savior.

We need to be helping our children develop a living relationship with Christ that’s theirs, not ours; giving them practical ammunition to resist the lies; showing them how to make a difference, not retreat as if the other side is stronger. Here’s a great parents’ verse: “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 ). That’s playing offense!

There’s more spiritual encouragement for you at our website. I hope you’ll check it out today. It’s ALifeThatMatters.org.

This radio program references: John 17:11 , 15, 20