In the book of Judges, we see that the Lord raised up judges. These judges were men that God called, He gave them His spirit, and qualified them for the work He had for them to do. He had a specific purpose for these judges, and that was to deliver the people of Israel out of the hands of their enemies, restore them, protect them, and bring justice to them.
Our sons have a specific calling as well. They are called to be godly leaders. And as parents, we can teach them about their calling—beginning when they are young, and continuing right up until they are grown.
Here are some ways you can encourage your son in his calling to be a godly leader:
- Beginning when they are young enough to be read to, read passages about godly leaders in the Bible, pointing out how God called them and how they were faithful.
- Read historical books about our nation’s leaders, pointing out their leadership qualities and how they were used.
- Share with them about leaders who failed, and talk with them about what happens when we are not faithful to our calling.
- Point out people in real life who are good examples of being a godly leader (father, grandfather, friend at church, etc.).
- Put them in situations where they are able to learn and practice leadership skills.
- After they’ve spent time with a friend or have had opportunity to interact in a group setting, ask how they were able to show leadership in the specific situations they were in.
- Give them opportunities in your home to practice their leadership skills.
- As they get older, allow them to make decisions without having to always hear your opinion. Even if you think there is a better way, they need to learn to make decisions for themselves, and doing so will build their confidence.
- Be sure to point out any way that you have seen them show leadership and encourage them in even the smallest efforts they may make.
- Pray that God would work in your son’s heart and give him a desire to be faithful in his calling to be a godly leader.
- Pray that your son will grow in wisdom, and that he would know what it is specifically that God is calling him to do as a leader.
- Let your son know, on a regular basis, that you are praying for him and that you know the calling to be a leader is a huge one.
We can be confident that God has called our sons, that He will give our sons His spirit, and that He has qualified our sons for the specific work He has called him to.
{Editor’s Note: This article was first published on MomLife Today on December 12, 2014.}
Gina Smith has served alongside her husband at a small Christian college right outside of Washington DC for almost 20 years, where she serves as the Dean of Women. Gina previously dedicated her days to serving her family, but now that her children are both college students she fully enjoys her calling to mentor to women and young women in person and on-line with her blog Keepin’ It Real! Gina has been a mom for 21 years and she and Brian have been married for 23 years.