by Neal Banks

Created on: August 12, 2008

I am, among other things, a parent.

As generally defined, a parent is "A father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian." The last word in this definition bares a close look, for it carries a heavy responsibility.

To get some idea of just how serious this title is, let's look at some of the synonyms: protector; defender; shielder; steward; teacher; custodian; advisor; watcher; keeper; mentor.

If you are a parent, I am certain you can identify with most (if not all) of these titles on many levels. That is because all of us, regardless of background, upbringing, social standing, economic status, race or religion, share one thing in common: we love our children. We bring them into this world, raise them, feed them, clothe them, teach them, love them, worry about them, discipline them, care for them, bandage them, hug them, tuck them in at night, tell them bedtime stories, play with them, pray for them, cherish them. For as long as we breathe they are our hopes and dreams embodied. We never stop being a parent once we become one.

It is an office you never retire from, a calling you never put down.

It is a high calling to aspire to. "Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life." (Proverbs 22:6) Other translations have the first part of the verse as "Train up a child according to their bent", or "Train up a child in the way he should go." Nonetheless, you are not only charged with your child's physical and emotional well-being, but their spiritual as well. I don't think I personally know any parent that shirks this duty, regardless of what faith they are or whether they know this verse. I can tell you that as a Christian parent, I am held to a high standard.

This means that I closely guard and monitor not only what my son does, but also what he watches and what he listens to. Movies, books, games, music, TV, Internet, activities and his friends come under my watchful eye and need to pass my moral and ethical (that is, biblical and spiritual) litmus test. Everything that he is exposed to has an influence, and I am responsible for what that influence is and how it will one day shape my son into a man. I will not always be able to watch over him, but making sure he has been given a good benchmark to hold his decisions to is ultimately up to me. I will one day be held accountable not only for my own life, but also for how I raised my son.

As a general rule,

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