Parents are Agents of God

As my wife and I continue to reflect on Tedd Tripp's book, Shepherding a Child's Heart, we were struck with the fact of how important our role is as parents from God's point of view.  Tripp writes...

"Our culture has reduced parenting to providing care.  Parents often see the task in these narrow terms.  The child must have food, clothes, a bed, and some quality time.  In sharp contrast to such a weak view, God has called you to a more profound task than being only a care-provider.  You shepherd your child in God's behalf."

He continues, "As a parent, you have authority because God calls you to be an authority in your child's life.  You have the authority to act on behalf of God.  As a father or mother, you do not exercise rule over your jurisdiction, but over God's.  You act at His command.  You discharge a duty that He has given.  You may not try to shape the lives of your children as pleases you, but as pleases Him."

This point of view is crucial for gospel-centered parenting.  God's command is for children to obey their parents.  Ultimately, this is not for the parent's benefit, but for the purpose of teaching the child to glorify God, because He is the one who gives the command to obey.  Ultimately, when your child disobeys you, they are disobeying God.  This is a much deeper issue that parents should be concerned about.  When your child is not honoring you, they are not honoring God, because it is His command to do so.

Tripp concludes, "The issue is not an interpersonal contest, it is rather your insistence that your child obey God, because obeying God is good and right.  You provide direction under God's authority.  Your right to be in charge is derived from God's authority.  You are God's agent to teach His ways to your child.  You are God's agent to help your child understand himself as a creature in God's world.  You are God's agent to show the need for God's grace and forgiveness."