The entire premise of parenting is an anthropological truth: we are all fallen. However you parse it out, we are fallen from feet to forebrain; belly-button to bones. Since this is the truth, we have a whole lot of work to do; not the kind of meritorious work, but the kind of work with grace-saturated breathing. What this theological reality means is that the way to raise healthy children is by having a clear picture of their unhealthy natures as sons and daughters of Adam. While we should have a robust picture of Psalm 127-128 (more of this in another post), we also need to have a robust picture of Genesis 3. The entire narrative of fall and blessing make up the full parental picture.
If our parenting forgets Genesis 3 we will certainly idolize our children overlooking their little deceits as acts of cuteness, treating their good grades as acts of godliness, and their disrespect as acts of self-confidence. Therefore, we need to be ever aware that they are prone to fallen acts at home and outside. They need a constant exercise in remembrance: remember you are dust and to dust you shall return; remember you are sinful and you need a Savior; remember you are prone to wander and you need to be found in Christ.
One Reply to “A Genesis 3 Kind of Parenting”