Daniel Boone’s parents wanted him to be a farmer. He wanted to be a hunter. Boone followed his heart and led many settlers down the Wilderness Road to settle new lands.
Christopher Columbus’s father wanted him to continue in the family trade of weaving. Columbus had other plans and we all know how that turned out!
Noah Webster’s family struggled at first with the idea of Noah pursuing a higher education since they were poor farmers yet they saw his potential and love for learning and eventually supported his endeavors.
William Penn’s father wanted him to be an admiral in the Navy. He ended up founding the colony of Pennsylvania.
We want the best for our children. We train them, lead them and guide them in the way they should go. At what point do we let go and allow them to make decisions for themselves?
There are two different types of parents. The ones that let go and the ones that hold on.
When I think about the ones that hold on, I am thinking about the ones that still dictate their child’s life even into the their middle aged, sometimes even beyond. We all know this happens. The parent is so used to being in charge that they are constantly controlling the decisions of their grown children.
The ones that let go often understand that their children are not their own, but God’s. As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to raise and care for our children. That is just what we need to view it as, a privilege and responsibility. God has given us the privilege to take under our wing these children but ultimately they are His. Our responsibility is then to help lead and guide our children into the will of the Lord for their lives, not necessarily what we think is best for them in our natural minds.
We are their parent and they are commanded by God to honor and obey us, so we need to remember not to take advantage of this responsibility. Our children trust us, love us and want to please us. Unless they are adamantly going against the Word of the Lord, I pray that I can be a parent that can let go and trust that they will make wise decisions as they move forward into their future!
