“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” (Proverbs 24:3-4 )
The foundational years of a child’s life are called “foundation” for a reason. These are the years when we lay some of the very blocks upon which their entire future will be built, when we secure the anchors that will hold them steady in every season of life. It’s not just about what they learn in school or from peers; it’s about what we as parents invest in them, in their hearts, minds, and spirits. The foundational years are the most crucial because they determine how solid and stable everything that comes afterward will be.
Think of it this way: brick upon brick, we build.
Each trait or value we impart is like a brick in the foundation of their character. Bricks such as; love, self-control, discipline, diligence, patience, kindness, humility, honor, obedience, and respect for authority are essential. These are not just “nice-to-haves” or wishful ideals; they are vital to their well-being and their ability to navigate life successfully. They’re the very building blocks of godly character.
Imagine being a builder, standing before a blank plot of land, ready to construct something that will last for generations. As a parent, that’s exactly what you’re doing when you raise your children. You are a builder of character, of destiny, and of a future that will stand the test of time. Every decision, every lesson, every action you take is a brick being laid in the foundation of your child’s life.
Just as a builder carefully plans the foundation of a structure, you, as a parent, must carefully build the foundation for your child’s future in partnership with the Holy Spirit. You can’t simply throw things together and hope for the best. There’s a design, a blueprint, a purpose to what you’re building.
The Tools of the Builder
When building a structure, a builder needs the right tools; hammers, nails, concrete, and blueprints. As a parent, you too need the right tools to build a solid foundation for your child. These tools are not just physical items but the practices and actions you use to instill values and character in your children. It doesn’t just happen by chance. We use specific tools like:
Teaching: Just as a builder follows detailed blueprints, you must teach your children according to the plan of God who created them, you teach them His ways, precepts and principles. This means imparting wisdom, instilling values, and teaching principles that will guide them throughout life. Teaching them about love, patience, respect, and obedience is the foundational work.
Modeling: A builder doesn’t just draw a plan; they build it. In the same way, you cannot simply teach your children about good values; you must model them. They learn best by seeing you live out the principles you’re teaching. Your actions lay the bricks that form the structure of their character. Every action, every word, every decision shapes their perception of the world, of relationships, and of their place in it. We must model the values we want them to embody.
Prayer: No builder can succeed without the right tools and materials, and likewise, no parent can succeed in raising a godly child without prayer. Prayer is like the cement that holds everything together. It’s through prayer that the Holy Spirit empowers you to build and guides you in the process. You’re partnering with God in constructing a life that will stand firm against life’s challenges. No matter how well we teach or model, we must ultimately rely on the Holy Spirit to transform their hearts and prayer is the key tool in this process.
The Process: Building When It’s Convenient and When It’s Not
A builder doesn’t just work when the sun is shining. They work in all conditions, because they know that every storm they face during the construction will make the building stronger. Builders design buildings to withstand certain levels of stress, including storms, by using durable materials, reinforcing foundations, and following strict engineering standard. So, storms can serve as a test of the building’s strength, it can highlight any weaknesses in the structure.
If a building can withstand a storm, it demonstrates the integrity and resilience of its design. In the same way, the storms of life come to test not just you, but also the materials and substance your child is made of. If what you’ve built in them holds up, then it’s proof of the foundation you’ve laid. So don’t despise the storms when they come, they help you build even better. So, pray through the storms and keep building.
As a parent, you will face difficulties. Being a parent is not always convenient. Some days, it feels like everything is falling into place, and other days, it feels like we’re losing the battle. There will be days when you’re exhausted, when it feels like you’re pouring everything into your child but not seeing any immediate results. Believe me, even in those moments of fatigue and frustration, you are building something eternal.
So, you build even when it’s hard and overwhelming.
You build even when your child resists.
You build even when you feel like you’re not getting through.
There are moments when we teach and model, and our children seem to understand and even embrace it with enthusiasm. Other times, they push back, resist, or make things difficult. But we must not grow weary. Just as a builder presses on through rainy days and tough conditions. Press on, because the investment in those moments will yield fruit in the years to come. The character we instill now will be what holds them together in later years when life tests them.
And just as a builder relies on blueprints to ensure the structure is being built correctly, you must rely on the Word of God and His guidance. So, you keep building with prayer, with patience, with love, even on the toughest days, because the future stability of your child’s life depends on it. We build on our knees in prayer, through tears, sweat, heartache, and fasting. Sometimes, the work of building requires great sacrifice, but it is never in vain.
The Role of the Holy Spirit
Here’s the beauty of it: we don’t build alone. We build with the help of the Holy Spirit. Just as no builder can succeed without the right tools, no parent can succeed in raising godly children without the help of the Holy Spirit. Their hearts are ultimately in God’s hands. No matter how much we teach, model, or pray, it is the Spirit that brings transformation. Our job is to be faithful in the process, and to trust that God is at work in them, even in the moments we don’t see immediate results.
Throughout the journey, the Holy Spirit guides us, strengthens us, and empowers us to keep going, even when the process seems slow and difficult. Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” The work we begin in our children’s lives, with God’s help, will be completed.
The Legacy We’re Building
As we invest in these early years, we’re not just shaping their behavior. We are laying a foundation for their future, their relationships, their marriages, their leadership, and their legacy. The work we do now will ripple out for generations. What we build today will carry them into adulthood, it will guide them through challenges, successes, and every season in between.
But we must remember: it starts now. These years are too important to overlook. What we teach them in this season will carry them into every battle they will face later, whether with money, relationships, careers, or even ministry.
When we teach them small lessons of self-control, obedience, and honor, we are teaching them how to stand strong later in life. As Proverbs 25:28 says: “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” These early lessons in restraint and discipline are the internal walls that will protect them in bigger battles later.
The Finished Product: The Joy of Building a Life That Endures
When a builder finishes their work, they don’t just step back and admire the structure, they look at what they’ve built with pride, they know it will stand for generations to come. In the same way, the joy that comes when we see our children walking in the character we’ve taught them, the joy of knowing that they are learning to love, respect, and honor, to practice self-control and patience makes it all worth it.
So, as parents, we build the future of our children brick by brick, and though we may not see the full result today, the foundation we lay now will determine the strength of their lives for years to come. They may not understand the lessons we’re teaching today, but one day, they will look back and be thankful. They will stand on the legacy of what we’ve built in them. When the storms of life come, they’ll be able to stand firm, because the foundation is solid.
So keep building, even on the hard days.
Keep praying, even when you’re exhausted.
Keep modeling, even when they resist.
The foundation you are laying today will secure your child’s future tomorrow.
