Raising Godly Boys Minute

Does your son have a direction?  Has he chosen what he wants his character to be? You can help him do this, you know. When you do, help him choose a character not based on pleasure or self, but on fulfilling God’s purpose for his life. Albert Einstein once said, “To make a goal of comfort or happiness has never appealed to me; a system of ethics built on this basis would be sufficient only for a h...

Teach your son to be a friend to all– even to those who are missing buttons.  In the classic children’s book Corduroy by Don Freeman, a little stuffed bear sits on a store shelf. Children see the bear and consider purchasing him. But when they see that Corduroy is missing a button on his overalls, they put him back on the shelf. One day, a child decides to buy Corduroy, despite his missing button....

Have you ever wanted to talk to your son?  Like, really talk?  Life can come at them hard and fast in today’s world. Chris was concerned about his son after cancer took his wife.  His son always said he was fine, but Chris wondered. On a campout with their troop, when all the rock-climbing and tower-building was complete, Chris and his son went to fish.  As the sun was setting and Canadian geese c...

Almost all of us have been bullied or observed someone bully others. How do we help our sons stand up to a tormentor without retaliating or being a pushover? Devon joined the swim team last summer. A few teammates made fun of him because he wasn’t part of the “in” crowd. Others saw but didn’t know how to help. When Devon asked his parents what to do, they told him, “Just continue to be the person...

As soon as you found out you were having a son, you probably started dreaming about what he would be like. Maybe you started dreaming about what he would grow up to be. Maybe you even laid out your old football jersey, wondering if your son would be a quarterback like you were in high school. Maybe. But maybe not. Many times, sons surprise us with their interests. You might expect him to love spor...

What is the allure of camping?  Why do children want to sleep in tents, wander trails with flashlights, climb trees, and have adventures? Painter Vito Campenella once said, “The world is all sense, life, soul and body, the image of the Almighty, fashioned to glorify Him with power, wisdom, and love.” God’s power is evident in his creation, and often, he can speak to us there when we are away from...

God sees the x-ray of your son’s heart. Brad Henry went to the doctor because of some knee pain. Looking at the x-ray, the doctor asked Brad, “Have you ever been shot?”  Brad answered, “Yes, thirty-five years ago when I was rabbit hunting!” It turned out that a piece of bullet had been lodged in Brad’s knee for decades. As Brad’s story illustrates– X-rays can see what the human eye cannot. And in...

Every night at bedtime, Jane would kiss her five-year-old son’s cheek, and say, “I love you so much.” One night, her son said, “Mom, I know you love me. But are you proud of me?” That’s a true story that Dr. Emerson Eggerich shared while teaching about his book, Love and Respect. Hearing her son’s question, Jane realized her son was already craving respect. She changed her approach. At bedtime, st...

Does your son have a “spotter”? In NASCAR, each driver has a “spotter.” It’s a person who stands high above the racetrack and communicates, through a radio, what’s behind, around, and ahead of the driver. As Brad Henry points out in his book Destination- The Winner’s Circle, every young man needs a spotter. They need someone who has a wider perspective, who can point out potential issues behind an...

Could your boy be a hero? Chris and his friends ran down to the beach ahead of their leaders when two ladies, frantic and crying, came running to them pointing out to sea.  Their brother, a weak swimmer, was caught in a strong current, and was fighting for his life, unable to make it to shore. Two of the strongest swimmers raced out to save him as the others formed a human chain, wading into the c...

Want to teach your son right and wrong? The outdoors is a great place to start. When you’re hunting, camping, or hiking, natural consequences are everywhere. If you don’t aim your shot well, you won’t harvest a deer. If you fail to pitch your tent correctly, it will tumble around you. If you don’t consult the weather forecast, you may get caught in a rainstorm on your hiking trail. Always supervis...

Can you be sure you are raising your children properly?  How can you know you are right?  With so many different voices yelling at you from social media, friends, and the world, how can you know what is true? For instance, science mistakenly used to tell us margarine was better than butter, and eggs would kill us.  Who can you trust these days? Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini once said, “The...

Every night at bedtime, Jane would kiss her five-year-old son’s cheek, and say, “I love you so much.” One night, her son said, “Mom, I know you love me. But are you proud of me?” That’s a true story that Dr. Emerson Eggerich shared while teaching about his book, Love and Respect. Hearing her son’s question, Jane realized her son was already craving respect. She changed her approach. At bedtime, st...

Is it easier for you to fix something yourself rather than ask your son to help? If so, you’re not alone. One wife asked her husband to let their ten-year-old help him change the oil in their car. He told her he’d tried in the past but ended up frustrated. His son didn’t listen, couldn’t focus, and kept dropping tools. The task took twice as long. Can you relate? Even though teaching our sons how...

Have you ever prayed over your son’s room? Consider doing this the next time your son is at school or asleep. Standing at your son’s bedroom door, pray Psalm 121:8: That the Lord will watch over his comings and his goings. Then, walk over to his bedroom window, and pray Matthew 6:33- that your son will seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness. By his bedside, pray Psalm 4:8- That your son will l...

Has your son ever been afraid? On a coastal night hike, the youngest boys in the group were scared when odd lights began flashing across the sky.  They grew more terrified as they hiked closer until they were directly underneath the lights! Turning the corner, they were delighted to find the source of the mysterious lights was a lighthouse in the distance; the lighthouse beam reflected off a power...

What comes to mind when you hear the word reflector? Maybe you think of a car’s taillight or those glittery objects that stick up in the center of the road. A reflector takes the light it receives and redirects it outward. In the darkness of today’s culture, Christians have a responsibility to reflect the true light of the world. The question is, are you doing that? Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your li...

Don’t forget to enjoy life with your son. If you’re like many parents, you are very concerned with parenting your son well. You work hard to help him succeed in school and learn responsibility. You research the best discipline strategies for him. You pray for him to know the Lord. Those things are excellent. But don’t forget to kick back and have fun with your boy, too. Sit on the porch and play f...

Did you charge up your cell phone last night? Mostly likely, you did. That meant plugging it into a power source so that electricity could recharge its battery. Each night, you probably recharge your phone so that it’s ready to be used throughout the next day. As a parent, it’s vital that you also take time to rest and recharge. This could take the form of physical relaxation, emotional support, o...

Is your son destined for greatness? Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini once said, “If you want to know the extent of a man’s ability, give him something difficult to do.” Today’s society wants to give everyone a prize for showing up, and award everyone an ‘A’ for turning in the assignment.  The temptation to accept the easy ‘A’ and the prize with no victory creates a world with no champions. Br...

If your son flops down on the couch and says, “I’m bored” — take notice. God made boys mentally, emotionally, and physically different from girls. Because of that, they need to engage in activities that they are passionate about . . . activities that involve both mind and body. So, what’s your son passionate about? Dad, help him discover his strengths and talents. This might involve trying a littl...

Are you afraid your son will lose his way?  This world is full of alluring distractions that can lead our children down dark paths, seeking to devour them. In the midst of so many lies, how can they know the truth? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in Sherlock Holmes, “...when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Against the wisdom of this world,...

A young boy was playing with his pet goldfish, when he accidentally killed it. Scared he would get in trouble, the boy, named David, lied about what happened to his fish. Immediately, he felt guilty. He confessed the lie to his mom as tears streamed down his face. His mom said, “David, Jesus loves you no matter what you have done.” That little boy was David Frey, who grew up to be the lead singer...

Did you listen to your parents, or did you listen to your friends? Friendships can define a boy’s life.  More than that, friendships in a group can provide identity.  There is a reason sports teammates will fight viciously for one another on the field.  It’s also why gangs are so prevalent– it gives boys a sense of belonging, and can drive them to do things they know are wrong. How can you help yo...

Show. Don’t just tell. In Philippians 3:10, Paul says, “I want to know Christ.” He isn’t talking about head knowledge. In both the Greek and Hebrew languages, the word knowledge is experience based. Paul was saying that he longs to experience God in all of His glory. That should be our heart’s cry as Christian parents. We can take our son to church and tell him about the importance of a relationsh...