What children want...

Wed, Dec 16th 2015, 10:33 PM

There are many things that children want to unwrap on Christmas morning, and that parents want to give to their children, but a children's minister believes parents should remain mindful of children's wants and needs and think of the next generation first in the new year. Ricardo Miller, children's minister at Ricardo Miller Children's Ministries, says parents might not be able to afford all the material things their children want, but they can start to create ways to help their children discover their purpose. That, he said, is the greatest gift a parent can give.

"One of the ways I have learned to help develop children in their purpose is to encourage them to do what is in their hearts, to do it with all their might, strength, and will," said the father. "I have seen hundreds of children trying to show their parents the thing that they desire to do. Some children desire to sing, so they sing in the shower. Some enjoy art, so every book they receive, they draw pictures in it. Then there are some children who are naturally gifted to do business. When their parents give them $2 for lunch, they go to the store and buy $2 worth of candy and sell the candy, making 100 percent profit.

"Rather than criticizing your child for singing in the shower, drawing in his or her school books, or selling everything they can get their hands on, manage their creativity by putting them in special classes or programs. Your child who sings may become the next Adele or Justin Beiber. A child with drawing ability may be the next Michael Angelo. Your young businessman or woman may be the next Norman Solomon," said Miller.

He recalled a recent movie date night he had with his wife, Isha, and going to the theater to watch the Sylvester Stallone film, "Creed", a movie he said he thoroughly enjoyed, but which made him think of parents being given a Christmas gift that they could open daily -- a gift that would be as surprising each day as it was the day before. That gift, he said, is children.

The film's tragedy revolved around Apollo Creed leaving his son without ever passing on his legacy to him, nor letting him know his heritage and the greatness that lay dormant in him. The son had natural gifts and talents that were untrained and therefore led him into a lot of trouble. He had an innate ability to fight and win, but without his father's guidance or knowing where he'd come from, the gift was used against him. Miller said parents have been given a gift in their children.

"Our children are gifts from God and each day he blesses us to mold, shape, develop and pour into a being that can potentially bless us or curse us," said Miller who grew up in The Bahamas, but lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. "If every parent looked at their opportunity to make an impact on their children's lives on a daily basis, it would make a difference in the culture we are seeing right now in The Bahamas. As a children's rights activist, I believe fully in the principle in the biblical proverb, that we ought to train our children in the way they should go so that when they are older they will not depart from it."

He said he has come to the realization that most parents are trying to train up their children in the way that the parents personally want them to go, but the biblical proverb never instructed parents to use their own biases in that way.

"I believe that the way they ought to go is the way of purpose. God has created all boys, girls, women and men with a specific purpose -- and that purpose is the thing that I believe most children want to know and fulfill," he said.

Miller said as people seek to help make homes, communities and the world a better place for their children this Christmas, they should remember that, like in "Creed", the main character discovered that with a father's guidance he could unlock his purpose and greatest potential.

"All our children are really asking of us is that we help them know their reason for existence."

In the words of the late Dr. Myles Munroe he said, 'Where purpose is unknown, abuse is inevitable'."

The children's minister said the greatest tragedy is not losing a child to illness or disease, but to have a child and not know why. And, with the new year approaching, he encouraged parents to let their one resolution be to think of the next generation and assist them in their efforts. He said parents should read blogs on creative parenting and gather information from their children's teachers or church pastors about the special needs of their children.

"After it's all said and done, the one thing children will remember is that you took time with them to show them who they were created to be," said Miller.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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