Do we want to hear our children say when they are thirty what the rich young ruler said to Jesus after Jesus listed the commandments, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth?” Here is the great commandment keeper. Here is the obedient kid who did what he was told. He kept the commandments. But when Jesus put him to the test and said he lacked one thing: “Sell what you have, give it to the poor, and follow me” (Mark 10:21), he couldn’t do it. He had no heart for Christ… Rule-keeping? Yes. Excellent in academics? Yes. Proficient and highly professional in work? Yes. Gifted and talented? Yes, sir. Treasuring Jesus? No... He had no affections for Christ. He was simply a good rule-keeper. And he said that it goes all the way back to his youth: “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” His parents said do, and he did. He had no heart for Christ… Successful parenting is more than compliant kids. It is gospel-saturated living and teaching. Show your children how Christ, crucified for our sins, and Christ, raised for our justification, and Christ, showing the Father’s love, and Christ, guaranteeing the Spirit’s daily help. Show them how the gospel empowers Christian life and shapes and sustains it. Pray and love and teach your children until Christ breaks in on their hearts and becomes their Treasure. Successful parenting is Gospel-Saturated. To produce spiritual fruits, child should have heart for Christ. Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit; every ‘Christ-in’ parent bears ‘Christ-in’ kids. “ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples... If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:6-10). May God give us a vision for the next generation that glorifies the gospel of Christ, and leads thousands of young people to the cross where they find forgiveness of sins, and broken-hearted humility, and Christ-exalting significance throughout their pre-teen and teen years-: john piper