HOUSE OF ROBERTS BLOG

I grew up in the Midwest but I’m no farmer; I don’t know how to plant crops or butcher a chicken. I’m not that handy, though my wife wishes I was, and I’m not a big fan of the smell of manure. Now with that said, if you are a dad then you are a farmer. Not in the traditional sense, but how we approach and steward our children, is very similar to the way a farmer handles his crops. In Genesis 22:18 God is speaking to a man named Abraham and he makes this promise to him about his children, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Notice how God describes Abraham’s children, He calls them “seed”. I don’t think God does anything by mistake or chance, if He calls children “seed” then that makes us dads, farmers. What then can we learn from farmers that will help us parent the “seeds” that God has given us?

First off, farmers are concerned with the soil. If the soil is bad, even if they plant the seed, it won’t grow to its potential. Dad, where you plant your kid matters. For us, that is why church is such a priority because we need to plant our kids in good soil. They might not always like going to church, and that’s okay but they will go because we are farmers and it matters where we plant our children. Friends for us, is soil. Can I tell you one thing that can mess up good parenting? Bad friends. Scripture says that bad company corrupts good character; that is why we are particular in who we allow our kids to spend time with. Our home is soil, that’s why we try to not overschedule our kids so that they are always out of our home. That’s also why my wife and I work together to make sure that our marriage is healthy, because in doing that it keeps the soil of our home healthy. You’re a farmer dad, and it matters where you plant your kids.

When a seed is in the early stages of growth, a farmer is more concerned with its roots than its fruit. He knows that if the root system of that plant is healthy and well established that it is only a matter of time before that plant will produce the fruit it is supposed to. When it comes to parenting it is so easy to be overly focused on the outward growth of our kids. We put them in team sports, get them coaches, hire tutors, and sign them up for all kinds of activities. Don’t get me wrong, those aren’t bad things to do, but where these activities fall short is they focus on the outside stuff. Yes, I want my kids to do well in sports, of course, I want them to succeed in the classroom, and have skills and abilities that will set them apart in life. However, who they are becoming is so much more important than what they are doing, and I think that is where some of us neglect growth. We want to raise young men and women who have integrity and compassion, who are resilient, and who have an inward confidence because they know who they are. Those are the root systems of our children. That’s why we have our children memorize Bible verses and why we talk about them. That’s why we celebrate them failing at something and getting back up just as much as we celebrate a win on a field. Coaching is good, tutors are good, but they are helping your kids with the fruit of their life, not the roots. You’re their dad, and you’re a farmer so inspect the roots of your children and ask the Holy Spirit on how you can help them grow. 

Lastly, a farmer knows that planting seeds takes time and that he won’t see a harvest from that seed right away. However, that doesn’t stop him from caring for and protecting that seed. Dad, parenting is the long game and a lot of what you will do with your kids will be in faith. You might not see a lot happening right now but don’t forget, you’re a farmer and they are seed. Keep caring for your children and keep protecting; every once in a while, evaluate the soil they are in, and focus on their root system. Then trust God to do the rest. A farmer knows that he can only do so much and that there is a point where he has to trust the growth cycle that God established long ago to kick in. We can’t do it all, but we can do our part and trust that God will do His part. You can do this Dad, so get out there and get your hands dirty!