Christ as the Model Parent

Yesterday I wrote about how in the gospel we are to become the “children” of Christ—He is the Father of our eternal life as it is only through Him that we can be saved.  Perhaps Christ being our spiritual Father points to the fact that we should also look towards Christ as our perfect example in parenting.  As we look at the many accounts of Him in the scriptures as He interacted with and taught individuals during His mortal ministry I think we see Him in that “spiritual” parent role.  This provides us I believe an example to follow as we attempt to parent our own children.  For example, we see that He was a great protector of His disciples.  When He was taken into custody in Gethsemane He requested of them: “I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none” (John 18:8-9).  Even when He was taken to be unjustly tried, beaten, and ultimately killed, He made sure that His disciples were let free and safe.  We see the same concern for the safety of His disciples when He warned them in the Olivet discourse to “flee into the mountains” when the day of “great tribulation” would come and destroy the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 24:16, 21).  That counsel surely saved the lives of many a Christian who escaped the terrible destruction in Jerusalem of 70 AD.  In that same manner, the best parents will sacrifice whatever it takes to ensure the protection and safety of their children and will teach them what is needed to avoid the greatest dangers. 

                To me the most powerful way that Christ’s example teaches us as parents is in the manner that He was able to lift those around Him.  He didn’t just serve others; but He empowered them to change their lives and become who He wanted them to become.  In nearly every interaction we see Him loving the individuals while at the same time helping them become better.  When He was confronted with the woman taken in adultery, He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).  He showed love and compassion by not mercilessly trying to punish her like the Pharisees, but He also taught her and encouraged her to be better by inviting her to repent and no longer sin.  When He found Peter and the other disciples fishing after His resurrection, He helped them catch more fish, fed them, and then called Peter to repentance by invited Him to “feed my lambs” (John 21:15).  He gave them both love and an invitation to be better.  When the man whose son had “a dumb spirit” came to Jesus and pleaded for Him to heal his son, Jesus said to Him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”  Jesus subsequently healed the boy showing the compassion and love He had towards him and the father, but his effort to help the man develop more faith shows that Christ was trying to help the man grow spiritually as well (Mark 9:23).  Again he showed love while focusing on helping the man improve.  I think the words of the Savior to Joseph after the incident with the lost 116 pages again shows both compassion and a call to improve.  He first chastised Joseph with these words, “You should have been faithful….  Thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall.”  But then he encouraged Joseph with these words: “But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work” (D&C 3:8-9).  The Lord again sought to both help Joseph repent while still showing great love to him. 

                These interactions of the Savior with His disciples give us a model to follow as parents.  We should always be seeking to help our kids better themselves and learn and grow spiritually while at the same time showing great love and compassion towards them.  True love for our children will always seek to lift them and help them improve.  My wish is that my children might one day feel that these words about the Savior’s relationship with his disciples also apply to my attitude towards them: “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee” (Isaiah 54:10).