If you are a parent, you certainly want your children to be “believers,” “known not to be wild and insubordinate” (Ti 1:6). Yet some of the most committed Christians have children not under the lordship of Jesus. Why are many Christian parents unable to pass on their faith in Jesus to their own children?

Perhaps we may have compromised with the world. God’s Word tells us: “Have no love for the world, nor the things that the world affords” (1 Jn 2:15). Even the “strictest” parents have exposed their children to hours, even years, of ungodly influences through handheld electronic devices, TV, and modern education. We shrug off the effects of this constant bombardment, and then are surprised when our children do things which indicate almost no relationship with Christ.

Another reason for the devil’s success in robbing us of our own children is lack of family prayer. Most Christian couples don’t pray together frequently. Family prayer is often relegated to meal prayers when the family occasionally gets together for supper. We don’t receive because we don’t ask (Jas 4:2). We didn’t stay together because we didn’t pray together.

However, the good news is that there’s still time to get your children back to God. Remember St. Monica and her son St. Augustine. God promises: “Those who oppose you I will oppose, and your sons” and daughters “I will save” (Is 49:25).

Think of something you believe God wants you to do. You have thought about this for some time, but you have never been able to do it. What is the problem? Possibly you have not been faithful in small matters (see Lk 19:17) so that God has not promoted you to greater things.

For example, for decades we have been trying to stop abortion, reverse the seemingly relentless march of the culture of death, and replace it with a civilization of love and life. We are sure the Lord wants us to do this, but we have not been successful in doing it. Possibly we have not been faithful in smaller matters, such as praying with our spouses, shutting off the TV, putting down our handheld electronic device, going to Confession regularly, fasting frequently, speaking of Jesus at work, etc.

The Lord has “an eye for detail” — detailed obedience. If we are obedient across the board, we can do great things by bringing down the strongholds, lies, and pretensions of the evil one (2 Cor 10:4, 6). We can even make every thought captive to Jesus (2 Cor 10:5).

Jesus was faithful in small matters, such as many years of obscurity, family life, and manual labor. He was entrusted with the greatest work — the salvation of all people. Be faithful as Jesus was faithful.