(This post was written by Chuck Carringer, Pastor of Family Ministries)

Parenting is more like a marathon than a sprint. Certainly there are events, circumstances, and crisis’ that require immediate action, but more often we are better served to keep our focus on the values which will guide our children’s thinking and behavior. Accordingly, as parents we must be clear about what we have determined to be of the highest priority. No one has a greater platform to influence my children than Emily and I.  Parents, let’s run the parenting race, as we “train up our children in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) with the long view in mind. Let’s relentlessly and intentionally teach our greatest values to our children.

By the way, when our children reach Middle-School age (likely before), they have determined our greatest values by the way we live, regardless of what we say. What is so grueling about a marathon is its length. The beauty is that because of its length, you can make up ground if you got off to a bad start.

Let’s be values focused, teaching the reason behind the desired behavior. Parents, are you taking the long view?