Leading With Love and Authority: Balancing Grace and Truth as You Lead Your Children Toward ChristSample

Modeling the Message

Children are always watching. They may not always listen to our words, but they are constantly observing our actions. The life we live in front of them becomes the most impactful sermon they ever hear. This is both a sobering truth and a gracious opportunity.

In his letter to Titus, Paul exhorts him to be an example in all things. Not just in what he says, but in how he lives. His teaching was to be supported by a life marked by integrity, dignity, and wisdom. That same calling applies to us as parents. It is not enough to tell our children about truth, grace, and godliness. We must show them.

It’s easy to lead well when everything is going according to plan. But the real test of our example comes in the ordinary and the inconvenient. How do we respond when the day derails, when someone speaks harshly to us, when disappointment enters the room? Those are the moments that reveal what we really believe and what kind of faith we’re actually living.

Modeling the message does not mean we have to be perfect. In fact, one of the most powerful examples we can set is repentance. When our children see us confess sin, seek forgiveness, and rely on God’s strength instead of our own, they are learning how to walk with Jesus for themselves. They see that grace is not just an idea, but a daily need.

Your children will remember more of what you lived than what you said. Ask the Lord today to align your example with your message. Let your life be a visible testimony of the truth you long to pass on.

Reflection:

What messages are your children picking up from how you live, especially when you’re tired, frustrated, or under pressure?

Written by Josh Kubler