“Britain’s Children are Unhappiest in the Western World, according to a Unicef study of 21 industrialised countries. 
Not only do they drink the most, smoke more and have more sex than their peers, they rate their health as the poorest, dislike school more and are among the least satisfied with life. Their relative poverty, the lack of time spent eating meals with their parents and mistrust of classmates mean that Britain languishes at the bottom of the wellbeing league table, Britain is a “picture of neglect”.
Forty indicators of child wellbeing – including relative poverty, child safety, educational achievement, relationships with parents and drug misuse – are brought together to present a picture of the lives of children. Northern European countries dominate the top half of the table, with child wellbeing at its highest in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Britain and the US find themselves in the bottom of most rankings”.
So says an article in the Times Online, Feb 14th 2007. Whatever we think of the article, we would all agree that things in Britain, family wise, are not good. Personally, I put the nation’s moral climate on a par with our economic challenge.
Christians have a responsibility to make a difference, in our families and communities. This is a gutsy contemporary application, of Jesus’ call to be salt and light.
Richard Rohr in his book, “Wild Man to Wise Man” comments that ‘The father wound (lack of fathering) is so deep in parts of the world that a healing of this could well be the most radical social reform conceivable.’ What is true of Fathers is also true of parenting in general.
As a church leader, I hold that if we believe in family values, we must actively take steps in equipping the church to actually do it! We receive very little preparation for parenting. This can mean that we can parent as we were parented ourselves or react against that and do the opposite.
Some years ago an obscure verse in 1 Chronicles 4:9 achieved notoriety; the prayer of Jabez. The NKJ translates: “Now Jabez was more honourable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.”
Jabez came from a difficult family line, reflected in some unhappy names. Kelab, a trap. Ahahel, entrenchment. Coz, a thorn. Helah, rust! Mum named him “Pain” in line with the family tradition! What a thing to speak over her child’s life. Jabez decided things would be different. He had a responsibility – the ability to respond, not react - and wanted to live differently, so he asked God’s help. As parents we stand at the beginning of the next generation and have the opportunity to make a real difference, but need God’s help in doing this.
The team based in Perth love encouraging parents in our community, giving them much needed courage and confidence to make a difference. Feelings of failure abound, but we try to bring hope to mums and dads where they need it most. At two seminars last year at CLAN it was great to encourage about 200 mums and dads, as simple biblical and practical principles were looked at.
A quote from Barack Obama in a Fathers day speech last year: “We need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one”.
Parenting is probably the most important thing you can ever do; Do it well, seeking God’s help and practical support in your life changing journey.
Chic
Chic Lidstone is on the leadership team at Gateway Community Church in Perth as well as a regular speaker at conferences and events on parenting and marriage.
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