“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose… so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:12-16, NIV)
As a parent, you’re responsible for guiding your household, just as Paul took responsibility for his churches. He prayed for them, loved them, trained them, and wanted the best for them. As you read Paul’s instructions, there’s much we can learn about parenting.
Notice how Paul tells the Philippians to “work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.” He doesn’t do it for them; instead, he provides an environment where they can grow and wrestle with their faith.
One of our key roles as parents—especially during the teenage years—is to help our kids engage with their faith so they can make it their own. We can’t force salvation on them; we can only guide and support them as they decide to follow Christ for themselves.
For Christian parents, this process can feel messy and even frightening. We don’t know how our kids will respond. It’s so much easier to lecture them and tell them what to believe.
But look at the reward Paul describes: “Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”
The wrestle is good, and it’s worth it. As your children work through their faith, welcome their questions and discussions.
Is it messy at times, because they might not think the “right” thoughts? Scary, because their questions are real? Absolutely. But remember Paul’s encouragement: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
When we help our kids wrestle with their faith, we invite God to work in their hearts to fulfill His purpose for them. And at the end, we will be able to look back and know we did not run the parenting race in vain.
