Quote of the Day

"I'm not afraid of failure, I'm afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter." -Ron Brown, tight ends coach at Nebraska.

This is my brother-in-law's favorite quote (thanks, Donnie!). This statement is prophetic- there is so much here to think about.

When I was doing youth ministry, I had a dad meet with me about his son, who was in 9th grade at the time. His son was slacking in school, and he wanted my help. It was a family where academics ruled. It was the key to unlocking a successful life.

I don't think he was too excited about my response.

I said, "Bro, [that's my way of getting on the same page with really smart people], your son needs to give his heart and soul to Jesus Christ. The heart is the control center for every word, thought, and action. A heart surrendered to Jesus is the starting point of a life that matters. I think out of this surrender will flow hard work, character, etc..."

In not so many words, he attempted to affirm my response, but take the Jesus edge off of it. As my friend Ed Noble said about parents of teens, "Most parents want their kids to have just enough Jesus to keep them off drugs."

How do we raise our kids to succeed at things that matter forever? (I've got opinions, to be sure, but at the end of the day, I've never parented a teenager)
In what ways do parents fall into the trap of raising kids to succeed in the non-essentials of life?