Hollywood offers examples of how not to direct your son’s future…even in kid’s movies. Remember the mom from “Despicable Me?” She appeared completely disinterested and unimpressed as her son, the evil villain Gru, showed her his inventions. Responding with an indifferent “eh” when he proudly held a drawing of a space ship, then a macaroni prototype and then launched the  functioning space ship.

Or in the movie “Lorax” when the optimistic enterprenuer, the Onesler, headed off to launch his business, his mom’s parting words were, “Just remember if somehow your invention turns out to be a failure instead of a success…it wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

Ouch. “Disinterested” and “discouraging” are not the words I want my boys to use to describe how I handled their passions & future.

I’ve written before on how I learned to cast a vision for the positive behavior I wanted to see in my challenging son. Earlier this week Sandra wrote about how moms can use words to encourage their sons.

Beyond the daily encouragement of positive behavior, in this post, I want to focus on what the Bible has to say about casting a long-term vision for our sons.

1.  Seek God

This is the most important step. God created my sons. He knows the plans He has for them. He knit my son in my womb for a purpose. The more I seek God the more He can reveal that purpose to me.

“For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” Prov 2:6

2. Study your son

The one thing I know about boys is…every boy is completely different. I have four different versions of a boy.  So, I study each of my boys. Not in order to label him, but to speak a vision fitting the unique gifts & interests God has given him.

My eldest son is gifted at crafting words. My second son is wonderful with people. My third son figures things out quickly. My fourth son, well he’s only one year old, but his smile lights a room (& he likes balls).

3. Speak the vision

We can seek God for wisdom & study our sons, but a key step is to speak these words over your son.

For example with my second son, when I see how gently and kindly he interacts with other children, I share the vision God has given me for him:

“One day God is going to use your skills with people for His glory. Just like when you obey when I ask you to put on your shoes. You will obey God when he says, ‘Price, I need you to share the Good News with these people.’ Because He gave you the ability to love people well, they will listen to you and know God.”

4. See it through

Not only should I share the vision God has given me for my boys’ future. I need to give them encouragement to pursue it.

God gave King David the vision of building a temple for the Lord. But David would not be the one to see the temple completed, his son Solomon received this honor. David instilled the Lord’s vision in his son and encouraged him to see it through:

“Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.” (1 Chronicles 28:20)

I believe none of us has been put on this planet by mistake. Perhaps my greatest duty is to speak God’s truth & vision over my boys so they can be the men God created them to be.

“The most significant visions are not cast by great orators from a stage. They are cast at the bedsides of children…in these closing hours of the day we have a unique opportunity to plant seeds of what could be & what should be.”-(Andy Stanley , “Visioneering”)

What vision can you cast for you son today?

Seek, Study, Speak & See!