It’s challenging not to raise entitled kids. Children are exposed to so much through technology and their peers. There is always some new toy that all their friends have. As a parent, I desire to spoil them endlessly and treat them like true royalty. It feels natural to want to give any and everything to my children and never deny them. Obviously, that isn’t wise. I would be doing a disservice to them by not preparing them for life. I had to realize, God doesn’t give me everything I desire and certainly not immediately because He knows it’s not always good for me. He is more concerned about me growing in Him and living a life that is a pure reflection of who He is!
We must be good stewards of our children.
Stewardship is a term we use for someone who manages and oversees things belonging to someone else. Our children are not 100% ours. They belong to God. Our job is to raise them to know who they belong to, and that is hard work. If I give my kids the world, never discipline them, and allow them to feel entitled to everything, then I’m not being a good steward of them! Exposing them to an entitled life would be me leading them down a road of destruction. The world would eventually chew them up and spit them out.
As shocking as it sounds, we are all sinners, raising sinners. Kids have their own ideas, opinions, behaviors and misbehaviors. We’re entrusted to nurture, shape, and mold them to honor God, serve others, and discover their passion and purpose through Him. Leaving my children the legacy of Jesus is more important to me than leaving them a legacy of worldly possessions! When our Master checks in to see how well we’ve cared for and invested in the children we’ve been given, what will He see? By following God, He will see stewards who did all they could with what was entrusted to them to bring honor to the one who truly owns it all.
Entitlement can lead to ungratefulness, and no one wants their children to take things for granted, especially in knowing how blessed we are by God.
Take some time to consider what legacy you are leaving behind for your children.
It’s never too late to refocus and lead your children toward Christ, our loving and gracious Creator.
