ROLE OF PARENTS AS THEIR CHILD CHOOSES A LIFE PARTNER
-Bisi Adewale
ROLE OF PARENTS AS THEIR CHILD CHOOSES A LIFE PARTNER
As the parent of an adult child, you have a great role to play in his life as he chooses a life partner. You must behave like Abraham who did not see himself as a success until Isaac his son successfully got married. ROLE OF PARENTS AS THEIR CHILD CHOOSES A LIFE PARTNER
“And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death”. (Genesis 24:1-4, 66, 67 KJV)
As much as this role is important; you must understand your limits and be careful not to go beyond it. Most in-laws problems begin when a child is trying to choose a life partner and the parents try to do what they think is their own role in seeing to it that their child gets married rightly. Here, let us examine what your roles should be and what you must never do as your child chooses a life partner.
— What you must not do
– Don’t insist that your child must get married from your village, town or tribe
– Don’t insist your child must get married from your own “class” of rich people, political affiliates or societal grouping.
– Never insist your child will marry your own choice.
– Don’t encourage your child to base his choice on wealth or financial gains
– Don’t fail to pray
– Never encourage fornication by insisting on pregnancy before marriage.
— What you must do
– Read books about choosing a life partner as if you are the one that wants to get married, so as to equip yourself with the modern but biblical ways of choosing, lest you be fighting your child ignorantly.
– Get necessary books and materials for your child to learn from
– Encourage him to attend good seminars about marriage
– Pray aggressively for your child about marriage.
– Discus about godly values in choosing a life partner before your child introduces anybody to you.
– Don’t pretend you did not see when you notice the presence of the opposite sex in the life of your child. Ask questions in love, pray and guide your child or encourage him to see a counsellor.
– Insist that your child should marry a child of God for his own benefit
– If you disagree with the choice of your child, please do it with wisdom.
– Do everything to encourage the relationship if you have no reason to disagree with it.
– If your child is a man, avoid making life difficult for the proposed lady by insisting she should come to your house to wash your clothes or cook for you.
– Encourage pure courtship for your child and his proposed partner.
Pastor Bisi Adewale is a family and relationship expert; author of Secret of Irresistible Wife and more than 70 other books on marriage and family life. You can reach him on familybooster@gmail.com, 08068312004, 08051512823, BB: 2AF5C883, Blog: www.bisiadewale.com, Website:www.familybooster.com facebook.com/PastorBisiAdewale.Twitter@bisiadewale
