Tulips and Weeds

tulips and weeds

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.”     Prov. 22:8

Watching the sprouts of flowers popping their heads above the dirt this Spring, I am struck by the beauty of new growth and new beginnings.  Some of the flowers are in planned and maintained gardens and some grow randomly with no human plan at all.

Children are like these flowers.  Some are planned and maintained, and some are just born and mostly left to their own devices to grow up.  Some grow to be beautiful flowers of life, while those who are not as fortunate to have a healthy family, are not as vibrant, but still fight for life.

Millions of children live without a two-parent home. Stats show that 41% of children live without a father in the home.  Millions of children live in foster homes and with extended family members.  They go from one living situation to another, and cannot find a safe place to set their roots down.  Then there are the millions of homeless teens on the streets now, just fighting to survive.

Healthy flowers are watered, fertilized, tended to, and cared for.  Weeds just take whatever comes their way, set shallow roots down and still grow, but without care of any kind.  Weeds can be mowed down, but if their roots aren’t removed, they will keep fighting for life.

This is a great picture of the children in our society today.  Our American schools are filled with hurting kids who need someone to care for them and cheer them on.  Will you be one of those who might volunteer in schools or churches to come alongside our kids/teens and show them the One who cares for them the most?

Show them the Living Water, extend His arms to them, and work to convince them they are precious to their Heavenly Father.  Lead them to God’s Word for the truth of who they are.  Help them find their roots in the One who created them in the first place, and who wants them to grow and flourish.

I invite you to listen to our Chained No More Talk Radio guest, Rob Rienow, from Visionary Family Ministries.  He will be talking about Visionary Parenting, and will be sharing great tools and concepts on how to raise children well to set them up for success in their adult life.  Don’t miss it!  You will be encouraged and inspired.  Tuesday, March 8 at 2 pm ET at www.toginet.com

Parents, take a good look at your children and assess how you might do a better job of helping your children grow to be all they can be.  There are a lot of parenting resources out now, so search the internet, talk to your church, or find friends who can help you grow your “garden at home.”