Ripples of Influence

How far into the future do you believe good parenting influences children? A week? A year? What if I told you that the choices you make today will affect your family for generations to come?

I see a visual reminder of how influence works every time my family goes camping. Our boys are grown now, but they become like little kids again every time we pull up to a lake. The first thing they do is hop out of the truck, grab a handful of rocks, and see how far they can skip each one. For them, the farther and more skips the better. Personally, I’ve always been more intrigued by the ripples. Even the smallest rocks produce not just one but, many ripples that spread outward, far beyond their point of origin.

Parental influence works the same way. I’ve tried to raise my boys with strong values. I’ve talked to them about integrity, character, and discipline and hard work. I’ve walked away from some of those conversations feeling like I didn’t make much of a splash. But now that my boys are older, I can see the ripples of my influence beginning to emerge.

I believe the same is true for you. Your commitment to your child’s emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being is never “just about today.” It’s about all of their tomorrows as well. Your loving presence will ripple outward through your child’s life, far beyond what you think it will. For today. For tomorrow. And for generations to come.