This seems like such a simple prayer here at the end of Luke 2:52, doesn’t it? Seems like to easiest thing in the world- be a good friend, have good friends. But it’s complicated- we’re human after all. We misunderstand, we are emotionally tone deaf, we lack self-awareness. And we can’t predict or control how it will all work out.
Two of the biggest decisions we make for our kids are where we go to church and where we send them to school. We look at leadership and doctrine, worship style and culture. We look at school location, test scores, courses of study available.
But I would argue that one of the most important factors in these decisions is unknowable and unpredictable, because it is the relationships our kids will form. We have no control over who our kids connect with, and no way to predict who will be their strongest influence, whether through friendship, teaching, mentoring, or youth leading.
And I am not the first to mention that there is a time when our kids will not hear us. They need to hear what we are saying, but they will only be able to hear if someone else says it.
And so we pray.
We pray for friendships among peers, and we pray for relationships with role-models and leaders. We pray our kids would be the answer to others’ prayers, and we pray that our kids’ friends would have the support and love they need- and that we as parents and grandparents could be what our kids’ friends need.
A simple prayer- yes. But that is the beauty of prayer- so simple, yet so profound.
Father, guide our kids to have strong and healthy relationships.
prayersformychildren.org 