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bkluender

The generation in which we live has seen a countless number of people who have been neglected and mistreated by biological fathers. Whether this has been your personal experience or even if you have just witnessed this in the lives of friends and family, you can clearly see that this leaves an indelible mark on the life of a man or woman who has felt the deep pain of not having a caring father in their lives.

However in our new lives as Christians, Jesus promises to “never leave us nor forsake us”. (Heb. 13:5) What a precious promise! While we may have been let down by broken promises from a biological father, we can trust our Heavenly Father because He only speaks the truth!

As you read this article, you may be the father or mother of a biological son or daughter. There is no greater responsibility and honor for us than to be the godly parent that God wants us to be for them. Scripture is clear that we should “train them up in the way they should go, and when they grow old, they will not depart from that truth.”
While parenting godly biological children is our mandate from heaven, there is still another mandate that oftentimes gets overlooked in the church today. Spiritual Parenting is clearly pointed to in 1 Cor. 4:15.

For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

In our busy lives, we can sometimes fail to recognize those in our sphere of influence who look to us as spiritual fathers. We need to be mindful that God uses us to “parent” people who desperately need the godly wisdom, instruction and love that only a spiritual father can bring. My personal experience with my spiritual father brought clarity to my walk as a new believer. Without him I’m not sure where I would have wound up but because of his input, my life had a sense of security that allowed me confidently to seek God for my life. He truly made a difference and that difference has eternal implications. What a powerful statement! He has since gone on to be with the Lord but I’m sure if we could ask him if the time and love that he sowed into me was worth it there would be no hesitation and we would hear a resounding “yes!”

Yes, it will take some time and effort but it is worth it because only what is done for God’s Kingdom will last. Everything else will fade away!

Make sure that you take time to sow into a spiritual son or daughter’s life. The impact will be more powerful than you realize.