
Author: Laurie Baiz, LIFEkids Director at LBF Church
There was a time when the word “invest” was used mainly when discussing bonds, stocks, and retirement plans.
Currently, we still talk about investing our money, but we also talk about investing our time, our thoughts, our energy, and investing in our future.
I believe that as parents we need to take a good look at what we are investing in, especially when it comes to our kid’s future.
With the different things that demand our time, each one of us has to make hundreds of decisions on what we are going to invest in and what we are going to let go. It can be very overwhelming at times, with all of the business, it can be a challenge to fit it all in. I find that in this culture we live in, the world is very loud about what deserves our time and energy. Just to name a few: sports, education, securing a scholarship, helping the less fortunate, etc.
These are all good things, and I am by no means implying that these items do not deserve to be invested in, but what about the items that the world is not talking about?
How about investing in spiritual growth for our kids?
What about ensuring that the next generation has not just heard the gospel, but learns to walk with God as they grow older. This should be the most important priority, but it’s often easily lost in the mix of items that scream much louder for attention.
So, I want to challenge parents out there to slow down, take a moment and think about the ways they can invest in the spiritual growth of kids. This can be a simple conversation about what they learned on Sunday morning, or how amazing God is to create that beautiful sunset. Or maybe it’s a discussion at the dinner table about a single Bible verse and how they can apply it to their lives.
As parents, we all know that our kids are watching us and modeling what we lay out before them.
What we choose to do with our time and energy speaks volumes to our kids about what is valuable to us and what they should invest in as they grow.
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
My hope is that each of us rises up, boldly model the importance of spiritual growth, and invest in the kids that are in our homes, at our schools, and in our church.
