Raising a true soldier of God
“When we cannot build good roads for our children, we must build children strong enough for the roads they must face.” – Terrence (Roman poet)
BY CHARLES WHITE*
No child beats the enemy of our souls with a potato chip in one hand and a soft drink in the other. Flabby, casual soldiers are always the first to fall.
Children asked to live in today’s world need God’s Word daily. They need unfailing faith that our Father answers prayer and frequently shares with other soldiers. Putting God first is no longer a respectable thing to do. It is absolutely necessary.
In my own experience, there are certain minimum daily requirements for raising a Christian soldier.
1. A verse a day … the only way. A single Bible verse is a child-sized portion that can easily be served at meals, bedtime or first thing in the morning. If possible, keep a Bible on the table or find verses on the internet and write them out longhand. In my early Christian life, a fellow Christian wrote out daily verses for me and shared them with me each Sunday. One great idea is to tuck a verse in each child’s pocket each time they leave the house (see Deuteronomy 11: 19-21). No child/soldier should ever leave the house unarmed. It is foolish. It also disobeys a command given directly by the Creator and lover of our souls. Our Father longs for each of his children to be safe. Carrying God’s Word is a great start, something they will remember all their lives. (The author’s site, www.bibleparent.com, offers thousands of free pocket-sized verses.)
2. Pray with your child each time they leave the house. A simple, one-sentence prayer like: “Lord Jesus, make me smart enough to tell the difference between you and Satan (right and wrong) and strong enough to always choose you.” Another good prayer is: “Remind me, Father, that you are always there and when in doubt to call on you.”
3. Put as many decisions as possible into your child’s hands. I like how one pastor I know did it with his own children. When they wanted to do something or go somewhere, he made them ask God first. He would not give an answer until they had talked to God about it. Initially, he often had to tell his children that he was pretty sure they needed to talk to God again because God would never go along with what they thought he said. If a child is not enough of a soldier to recognise God’s voice, he is not enough of a soldier to leave the house.
4. One of the most important parts of raising a soldier is to ensure they are surrounded by other soldiers. This means attending services at your local corps, but it also means having your children’s friends in your home … the perfect way to influence them before they influence your children. And they will learn from being in your house what you allow and do not allow and where you stand. A key part of helping children understand what being a soldier is all about is explaining the value of being a leader of people but a follower of God. It is about being excellent instead of average. Children who grow up understanding this one thing will grow strong and straight, the one thing the world needs most. If your child is not a soldier, it is almost certain that they will be a casualty. Today is the day to tighten the ranks and get in step with God.
5. Once a child reaches age 15, suggest they ask God for a dream, something they can aim at and pray about. A child with a God-given dream for their future is much less likely to be influenced by friends or the media. Much more likely to grow closer and closer to God.
*Charles White is a lifelong volunteer at The Salvation Army in Topeka, Kansas, USA. He is a retired preschool teacher, volunteers at US Summer Camps, and web editor of www.bibleparent.com
