Showing Your Children God's Grace and Unconditional Love
Part 1: Helping Your Children Reach Their Full Potential
Writing as one who has faced many challenges in life: low self-esteem, being bullied, sometimes being the bully, succumbing to peer pressure, and the uncertainty of not knowing what “I want to become when I grow up,” I am certain that I would not have achieved confidence and success in life without the support of my family and the unending humbling from God’s grace.
The constant motivating force in my life really boils down to how God has been in control every step of the way. It is my desire to share what I’ve learned as the second of four children in order to shed some light on how children might be guided to grow up to be proud of who they are.
Showing Unconditional Love:
Unconditional love is the landmark principle of the Christian faith. Jesus died for us because of his unconditional love, and we are commanded to love our enemies, not just our friends and family. In light of that command, how much more should parents be willing to show grace and love to their children?
Showing Grace:
Grace is the most important motivating factor for love. Paul started his second letter to the Corinthians with these words, “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:2). Because of the Father’s grace—unconditional love—toward us in His Son, we have the freedom to receive correction and mature as beloved adopted children of God (Heb. 12:5–11). To instill this necessary understanding in children, parents must be models of God’s love and grace. A key way God grows a child’s love for Him, for you, for others, and for themselves, is through parenting. God entrusts parents with children to guide and nurture them in the truth of the gospel. While attending to mistakes and wrongs, parents must show grace so their children understand that they are loved despite their mistakes and wrongs.
Children need to experience love and grace from their parents. Not showing grace can lead children to put up walls and lie, because they’re not only living in fear of correction without embrace but fear of losing love due to their mistakes that might damage their reputation. However, if love and grace are given unconditionally, children will learn to look to God through gracious parental correction and guidance rather than making their reputations an idol and fear of failure their motivator. By showing grace, parents provide a safe environment for conversations conducive to spiritual growth and maturity.
The education of the mind and heart is to be impacted by His grace and learn to trust that He is in control. This mindset promotes an unending desire to learn and understand without fear of choosing the wrong path, and most importantly, it grows the capacity to love unconditionally.
I learned that in all of my mistakes and all of the uncertainties I’ve faced in my short life have been shown to be for the good of His glory. Through the grace and love given by my family, my shortcomings became an opportunity for me to focus on God and allow him to work in and through me.
Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.
