THE PARENT

A parent is a mother or father. Things that act as the source or owner of something else are also parents, like a parent company that owns the local bookshop. The Latin root is parere, “give birth to, or produce.” Whether a mom and dad or a parent company… the first job is parenting. This is to make certain that those under parent care are loved and cared for in every way possible.

This is also true of spiritual fathers and mothers and the care of spiritual children. Same principle.

When a parent fails or parent companies fail… or spiritual parents fail as parents… there is always devastation and consequence. Time, presence and trust are the keys to good relationships. If they are not developed there will be brokenness. But, if they are developed there is the joy of sons and daughters.
Parents should remember that their children value their presence a lot more than their presents.

Consideration of parenting is part of the consideration of marriage. “It is better to be single and wish you were married than to be married and wish you were single.”(T.G. Morrow) It is also better to not have children than to not parent the children we have.

“Honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus