Intentional Freedom: Helping your children avoid captivity 3.21

In addition to telling our children the truth of the Gospel, we need to live our lives as though we have
been saved. According to Galatians 5:1, we must stand firm and stay free. If our children look at our
lives and see us caught in a yoke of slavery like the rest of the world, they won’t want the salvation and
“freedom” we have. There are many forms of slavery. Most forms of slavery we inflict upon ourselves.
We get caught in performance traps, comparison traps, and perfectionism traps.

One thing that can rob our children of freedom in Christ is trying to perform perfectly to please us. We
must teach our children to do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, not so that we won’t be
disappointed in them. We must reward our children for righteousness and being set apart, not for being
like others or behaving like us.

We must train our children to serve God out of the thankfulness in their hearts and, in doing so, put
others before themselves. Freedom comes from serving with a heart of love, serving God and serving
others. Sure, it feels good to be a blessing and to know you’re doing the right thing, but we don’t do the
right thing so we will feel good. We do the right thing to honor God because he is the author and
defender of our freedom.

Teaching our children about freedom includes intentionally training them to remain pure in their
relationships (friendships included), filtering what goes into their minds, and making choices to bring
glory and attention to God and not to themselves or other people.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened
again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

What deceptive traps do you see your children being drawn to?

Take a moment to pray for God to give you wisdom to help your children become and remain free.