I’m Raising Future Men not Little Boys

Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6, AMPC)

I love being a mom of two boys, but at times it’s tough to think that I’m basically working myself out of a job. My job is to help them be strong, independent, brave young men. My goal is to teach them to follow the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. I want them to need Jesus more then they need me. I want the Holy Spirit to be their constant companion and I often pray that they will have such a sensitivity to Him that they can’t get away with anything. I won’t be able to go to those future spots they choose to go to. But the Holy Spirit will be in them when they surrender their lives to Jesus. That’s my prayer! They haven’t made that decision yet, but my hope is that they will never know a day without Jesus. I pray daily that God will capture their hearts at an early age and help them understand their need for a Savior. And that God will equip me to see and understand their natural bent in life, so that I can nurture them to use it wisely for God’s Kingdom purpose!

So right now, I embrace their independence. Sure it drives me crazy when I’m trying to get somewhere and they take their sweet little time. But I want them to do it on their own. I want them to learn that they are independent and strong. Sometimes that means slowing down and giving them the time to stretch their muscles. They are still growing and they need patience from me as their mom. They need me to be loving and kind even when we are running late.

In my heart, I try to keep in mind that I am raising future men not little boys. Little boys don’t last forever, but grown men do. Every word I speak to them, to encourage them in who they are and embrace their strengths will equip them for the future God has for them. Every time I slow down to let them stretch their independent muscles, I encourage them to be their own man. It’s so worth it!

I love watching my little four year old Zion. He has had a slumber party at his cousin’s house and his grandparents house. He was so proud of himself and took great effort to let me know that I didn’t even need to walk him to the door. He had this. He was confident and that brought great joy to my heart! I love watching him bloom and become the man God has designed him to be. I think to myself, if he is this independent and confident at four years old, how confident will he be in his 20s, 30s, etc. I embrace the fact that I have the opportunity to raise a strong and independent man. It’s a gift and I’m thankful daily that God gave me this gift to unwrap.

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Please share with me your thoughts on this. How does it feel to be working yourself out of a job? Do you enjoy the growing independence you see in your children? How are you teaching them to make their moments count? I would love to hear your thoughts in a comment below.

Dear Father God, please continue to teach me what it means to raise future men. May I embrace the beauty of the job You have entrusted to me and always look at it as a gift. I pray that my boys will grow up to be strong, independent, and brave men! May they be valiant warriors for Christ! And may I accept with grace what my role looks like in each season with them!

Making the Moments Count,