My excellent wife Di gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday evening. We thank God for the opportunity to nurture her life. Our hearts are full—and our days are busy! I’ve selected some wise advice below for parents and would-be parents. For your contemplation…
The “little church”
“Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace. If these fail, all other means are likely to prove ineffectual. If these are duly maintained, all the means of grace will be likely to prosper and be successful.” (Jonathan Edwards, “Farewell Sermon”)
Children and sin
“Every one of us is, even from his mother’s womb, a master craftsman of idols.” (John Calvin, Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles)
Jonathan Edwards: “As innocent as children seem to us,’ he wrote, ‘if they are out of Christ, they are not so in God’s sight, but are young vipers…” (Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George Marsden)
Martin Luther on nappies
“Now you tell me, when a father goes ahead and washes diapers or performs some other mean task for his child, and someone ridicules him as an effeminate fool, though that father is acting in the spirit just described and in Christian faith, my dear fellow you tell me, which of the two is most keenly ridiculing the other? God, with all his angels and creatures, is smiling, not because that father is washing diapers, but because he is doing so in Christian faith. Those who sneer at him and see only the task but not the faith are ridiculing God with all his creatures, as the biggest fool on earth. Indeed, they are only ridiculing themselves; with all their cleverness they are nothing but devil’s fools.” (“The Estate Of Marriage”)
John Bunyan on work
“…though you should provide for your family; yet let all your labor be mixed with moderation; ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men’ (Phil. 4:5). Take heed of driving so hard after this world, as to hinder yourself and family from those duties towards God, which you are by grace obliged to; as private prayer, reading the scriptures, and Christian conference. It is a base thing for men so to spend themselves and families after this world, as that they disengage their heart to God’s worship.” (“Family Duty”)
About Ben Kwok
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congrats Ben, our little one has brought us untold joy so I guess yours must be multiplied by 5:) thanks for the quotes too, very insightful.
Aww, she’s adorable!! Congratulations!! Great post too!! =)
Thanks Ben, Charlotte is beautiful indeed!
Once again you wrote a great post – when I read the quote of Martin Luther about fathers changing nappies, I could not help but smile. So typical Luther LOL.
I hope you enjoy your fifth little one and I hope and pray that your little family might be a little church too, enabling your children to be affected by grace, humanly speaking.
God bless you and Di!