Daily devotional, Nov 29, 2023 Delegate

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate." 
Psalm 127:3-5

One of the characteristics of a good leader is he knows how to delegate tasks effectively. A Gallup study which covered Chief Executive Officers from 500 internationally renowned companies has shown that those identified with high delegation skills brought in 33% more revenues compared to others.  

As mothers, we are managers of our own households and we too can delegate some of our tasks and chores so that we can easily achieve our goals. Depending on our finances, we can delegate house chores, childcare, and even tutoring our kids. One thing we cannot delegate though is raising our children, disciplining them, and spending time with them.

Here’s what the Bible has to say about child-rearing. Fathers are specifically tasked to the lead the family, and take on the leadership role when it comes to training and disciplining the children:

"For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 
Genesis 18-19

and

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

Today’s fast-paced lifestyles, driven by steep financial ambitions make it impossible for some parents to happily raise their children, let alone train them in godly ways. Fathers are too busy with work, and some moms may have to work too to supplement income. Such a lifestyle lives parents without enough energy and time to nurture healthy relationships with their children and raise them well.

Hence, our Christian life calls us to veer from worldly pursuits so that we can joyously do the responsibility entrusted to us by the Lord. In his letter to the Roman church, the Apostle Paul reminds us:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

We need to re-calibrate our lifestyle and our goals so that we can live lives in accordance to God’s purpose for us and our families. When we set our goals towards earthly things we tend to gravitate towards pursuits that drive us to spend more time trying to earn the money we cannot enjoy with our family. We also get to pass on these worldly values to our children through modeling and circumstance.

Modeling because kids see what we value, and they unconsciously start valuing worldly things too. Circumstance because when we do not have much time to spend with them, we try to bury them in electronic devices. We become permissive and we allow them to use social media, which in turn exposes them to unhealthy content. Our children then get to absorb such content which could sadly shape their character in the long run.

We also try to make up for our absence in their lives by buying them expensive toys, apparel, gadgets, and devices. We travel far with them and spend a couple of weeks of vacation time only to leave them with other people most hours of the days of the rest of the year. When all of the above happens, disciplining takes a back seat, which is entirely opposed to what God commands us as parents:

"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol." 
Proverbs 23:13-1

When God designed families, He envisioned parents personally ensuring that their children will grow up godly. That families spend time with each other, talking to one another, sharing each other’s problems, discussing concerns, life updates, and bible-based truths:

"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

As parents, we can never delegate child-rearing to other people, even if they are our closest relative. Children are a blessing from the Lord and we ought to treat them that way. We cannot leave them with their devices. We cannot be part-time, seasonal, or occasional parents. I am not saying working moms have to quit their jobs, what I am saying is we have to intentionally spend time to raise our children well. As Family advocate and TV Show Host Dr. Laura Schlessinger says: “Quality moments require quantity time to occur spontaneously.”

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and Proverbs 31:27-28 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What is your parenting style? Does it adhere to God’s design for the family?

Conversation with the Lord:Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for ensuring that every aspect of our lives can be lived for you. I lift up to you my family and parenting duties, empower me to be the mother that you have designed me to be. Amen.