YOU ARE A WATCH DOG
A mother asks, “Can anyone tell me where in Scripture it says we are to be watch dogs or protectors of our children’s souls?” The following are a few Scriptures for you to meditate upon.
1. Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
This Scripture is speaking to the elders of the church who have the responsibility to watch over the souls of their flock. However, before the church was ever instituted, God designed the family. The family is the first institution that God ordained and the church is only a reflection of the extended family. It is primarily the responsibility of parents to watch over the souls of their little flock. This is the principle task of parenting. And God holds us responsible.
2. Titus 2:5 exhorts the older women to teach the younger women to be “keepers at home.”
This phrase is translated differently according to which manuscript from which the version was translated. One Greek word is “oikourogo” meaning “to work at home.” The other is “oikouros” meaning “to guard and watch over the home.” This not only means to guard the physical home, but more importantly, the children in the home. Our greatest task as mothers is to guard our children’s lives, and that means watching over their souls. You are a WATCH DOG! And a watch dog has to be on the job! We have to be constantly watching and praying to detect any intrusion of the enemy into our home or our children’s hearts. This is a full time job.
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This was Paul’s prayer for the new believers at Thessalonica. This was my prayer and vision for my children as I raised them in our home. Our ultimate aim and prayer is for our children’s souls to be preserved from evil and the contamination of this world. This doesn’t mean that we separate them from the world. Jesus prayed in John 17:15 that we would not be taken out of the world, but that we would be kept from evil as we live in this dark world. We are not raising children for hibernation, but for the revelation of God’s character to the world.
The word “preserved” in this Scripture is “tereo” and means “to watch over, to keep watch, to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon.”
This doesn’t happen by hoping it will happen. This only happens by much prayer. It only happens by zealously watching over their spirit, soul and body! And notice that the spirit comes first! Make this Scripture your prayer for your children, too.
4. Proverbs 31:27, “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”
The Hebrew word for “looks well” is “tsaphah.” It means “to observe, to lean forward, to peer into the distance, to watch with a purpose, to spy.” It is exactly the same word that is used to describe “watchman” who watch over the city (1 Samuel 18:24; Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). God told the watchmen to listen to the words of His mouth and to declare them to the people. As watchwomen mothers, we are to always be listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He will show us areas in our children’s lives that we need to attend to. He will fill us with His Word so we can impart it to them.
Be a great WATCH DOG today.
Love from Nancy
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1. Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
This Scripture is speaking to the elders of the church who have the responsibility to watch over the souls of their flock. However, before the church was ever instituted, God designed the family. The family is the first institution that God ordained and the church is only a reflection of the extended family. It is primarily the responsibility of parents to watch over the souls of their little flock. This is the principle task of parenting. And God holds us responsible.
2. Titus 2:5 exhorts the older women to teach the younger women to be “keepers at home.”
This phrase is translated differently according to which manuscript from which the version was translated. One Greek word is “oikourogo” meaning “to work at home.” The other is “oikouros” meaning “to guard and watch over the home.” This not only means to guard the physical home, but more importantly, the children in the home. Our greatest task as mothers is to guard our children’s lives, and that means watching over their souls. You are a WATCH DOG! And a watch dog has to be on the job! We have to be constantly watching and praying to detect any intrusion of the enemy into our home or our children’s hearts. This is a full time job.
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This was Paul’s prayer for the new believers at Thessalonica. This was my prayer and vision for my children as I raised them in our home. Our ultimate aim and prayer is for our children’s souls to be preserved from evil and the contamination of this world. This doesn’t mean that we separate them from the world. Jesus prayed in John 17:15 that we would not be taken out of the world, but that we would be kept from evil as we live in this dark world. We are not raising children for hibernation, but for the revelation of God’s character to the world.
The word “preserved” in this Scripture is “tereo” and means “to watch over, to keep watch, to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon.”
This doesn’t happen by hoping it will happen. This only happens by much prayer. It only happens by zealously watching over their spirit, soul and body! And notice that the spirit comes first! Make this Scripture your prayer for your children, too.
4. Proverbs 31:27, “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”
The Hebrew word for “looks well” is “tsaphah.” It means “to observe, to lean forward, to peer into the distance, to watch with a purpose, to spy.” It is exactly the same word that is used to describe “watchman” who watch over the city (1 Samuel 18:24; Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). God told the watchmen to listen to the words of His mouth and to declare them to the people. As watchwomen mothers, we are to always be listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. He will show us areas in our children’s lives that we need to attend to. He will fill us with His Word so we can impart it to them.
Be a great WATCH DOG today.
Love from Nancy
Read More