Parenting Day 22: Five Tips From The Best Parent In The World

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Life Over Coffee Devotions

• 31-Day Marriage Devotion
• 31-Day Parenting Devotion
• 31-Day Teen Devotion

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1).

The best way to learn how to be the best parent is to learn from the best parent. God, the Father, is the best parent the world has ever known. Understanding and applying His parenting to your family is one of the wisest things you can do.

Knowing God and imitating God are two different things. The demons know about God, but they do not follow Him (James 2:19) because they do not exercise biblical faith. Biblical faith has three parts: knowledge, understanding, and practice. The last one—practice—is what makes faith biblical. If your faith is not authentically activated, it’s not biblical faith. A Christian’s faith is Christlike. I have five tips to help you flesh out what it means to look like Jesus to your family. You can immediately implement these characteristics into your home. Along with each tip are application questions that will aid you in this opportunity to imitate God the Father for your children.

Model: God Is an Example: Christ’s life was the example of what you are to become; similarly, what you model before your children will have a lifetime impact on them (Ephesians 5:1).

1. What are you modeling before your kids?
2. Is your religion exportable? As a missionary to your family, you are exporting the life of Christ to them. Are they receiving what you are exporting?
3. What would happen if your children made copious notes of your life and imitated what they observed from you (Philippians 4:9)?

Honest: God Is Honest: The Father is honest with you because He is the truth (John 14:6). Leading your children by being open with them is one of the ways you can honor God.

1. When was the last time you confessed your sin to your child?
2. When was the last time you asked your child to forgive you?
3. Do you respond to all of the sins in your home equally in terms of transparency, vulnerability, forgiveness, confession, and reconciliation?

Encourage: God Is an Encourager: The Father uses kindness as a means to motivate you to change (Romans 2:4). It is His great love for you (John 3:16) that transforms you (Romans 12:1-2).

1. What was the last specific way you encouraged your child?
2. Is your child more aware of your pleasure or displeasure in him?
3. How often did you encourage your child today? This week? If you have not encouraged your child lately, you have something special to look forward to today.

Serve: God Is a Servant: Christ is the epitome of servanthood. One of His purposes for coming to earth was to serve you, which is at the heart of the gospel (Mark 10:45).

1. Would you consider your home an other-centered home?
2. How are you regularly serving your children?
3. Does your family have peripheral vision? This concept means they quickly see the needs of the home and are eager to do it.

A portion of this kind of serving includes acts of sanctification like confession, honesty, forgiveness, kindness, encouragement, motivation, and humility. Biblically serving your family is more than washing dishes; it’s active repentance, too.

Love: God Is Love: Love is an action word. The Lord is the ultimate action Lover. He is not distant or passive regarding His children (John 1:14).

1. Do you take the time to meaningfully engage your kids? Do you proactively plan time with your spouse and children in mind?
2. Do you relate to your spouse in a way that you want your kids to relate to each other?
3. Practically speaking, what does your love look like toward your spouse and your children?

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).