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Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. (Titus 2:3-5)
In an age of micro-minis, jelly bracelets and spring break beads, its clear we need to raise godly girls. We need to help our girls develop a moral compass, because the current bumper crop of starlets are not proper tour guides!
How can you raise godly girls during a time when “fitting in,” “being cool,” and doing things “because everyone else does” is paramount?
Teach them to flip the paradigm: Kids think people who fly against the status quo are cool. If so, who could be cooler than Jesus? Jesus was unconventional; it wasn’t His mission to “fit in” … In fact, in a prayer to His Father, Jesus said:
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14-16)
This thinking may also be of help to children during those times when kids don’t feel they fit in due to their adoptive status.
Make ‘em think: Ask, “Would you watch XYZ Movie, listen to Blah, Blah Song or (insert issue here) if Jesus was hanging out with you?” Well, He is! 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” A note of caution: this line of thinking requires that you “walk the walk” yourself and model the desired behavior in this area!
Provide godly examples: As noted above, you must first live it yourself. No, you’ve not been perfect, and neither will they. That’s why we need Jesus. The point is, keep trying because the goal is awesome! Paul describes it in this way:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Keep the lines of communication open: Make it okay to talk about anything at any time. It may be uncomfortable from time to time, but your children need to hear your godly perspective on tough topics … not their friends’. Read Psalm 1 and 1 Kings 12:1-18 on your own as parenting devotionals to help you.
Teach them about modesty: Today’s image of “gorgeous girlhood” is skewed. Girls Gone Wild isn’t the standard! Emaciating yourself while wearing designer duds isn’t cool.
Your adornment must not be merely external–braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:4-5)
Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments. (1 Timothy 2:9)
Can’t you just hear, “But that’s sooooo first century!” No, it’s as relevant today as it was back then! Not only for a girl’s own sense of self-esteem, but because boys are stimulated by the visual. Our girls need to help their brothers-in-Christ by not providing a stumbling block (Romans 14:13).
Hold parent/daughter devotionals about godly women: None of the women in the Bible are perfect, merely forgiven … and they show us how to avoid their mistakes, and how to overcome them when we do. There are bibles for girls and teens, both with devotional biographies of these godly women included.
Hard? Oh yeah! Doable? With God’s help! Remember that, as parents, we are commanded to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Can we raise godly girls? Most definitely!
Thank you.
I have printed this to keep and emailed a friend!!