Parenting is probably the world’s toughest job that we enter into without any training. When my children were little, I didn’t realize how my actions were impacting their lives down the road. Knowing what I know now, I would have been more proactive in building good seeds in their lives and less concerned about my vocation. Perhaps you would like more grace and less rules in your life. In this section of Scripture, we will see what pride produces and how it affects our parenting.
I’m sure Ham when he saw the nakedness of his father, Noah, wasn’t planning on his son, Canaan, being cursed by his grandfather to serve his brothers, Shem and Japheth (Gen. 9:22,25). Another of Ham’s sons, Cush, became Nimrod’s father (Gen. 10:6,8). Nimrod was a mighty hunter and began Babel along with Nineveh in Assyria (Gen. 10: 9-11). We learn about Babel in Gen. 11. It’s not good! Assyria was Israel’s most cruel enemy who conquered them many years later.
Canaan was father of Jebusite, Amorite, Girgashite and Hivite (Gen. 10:15-17). Later, God told Joshua to kill them because they didn’t follow Him (Josh. 3:10).
According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, a multitude followed Nimrod’s advice to the build the tower of Babel. People wanted to make a name for themselves, an illustration of corporate greed, instead of following God (Gen. 11:4). God saw the city and the tower people built because of unity and teamwork (Gen. 11:5-6). God sees both the good and bad we do. We can’t hide from Him. In Babel, God confused their language and scattered them over the earth in line with his original command to multiply and fill it (Gen. 1:28).
We live in a celebrity culture where people want recognition, even in the Christian world. It’s hard being in the background where no one knows you exist. Are you trying to get a name or do you want to be recognized by God instead, especially as a good parent? Most of the social problems we experience today is due to fatherlessness, according to many experts.
Surrender yourself to God’s purposes by praying: “Lord, I confess my pride and greed. I surrender my desire for recognition and desire most of all to be pleasing to you.” If you have children, ask God to make you faithful in following Him in your parenting.
