A standard-size apple tree takes up to eight years to produce apples. Farmers will observe all kinds of growth during those eight years, but one thing they don’t look for is mature fruit.
As parents, we raise little apple trees, souls that bear fruit only with time and patience. Yet how often do we, unlike the farmer, expect to find mature fruit too early as we scrutinize our children for signs of spiritual growth? For all our efforts to train our children well — opening God’s word, bowing in prayer, and worshiping with God’s people — we often find something is missing in the middle of it all: peace of mind.
It’s hard to resist analyzing our children, as though watching every movement of their bodies will give us a window into their souls. Do they close their eyes during prayer, belt out “Amazing Grace,” and love Sunday worship? Or do they gaze out the window during Bible reading, shyly abstain from praying for a meal, or seem hesitant about baptism? We watch them closely, rarely able to relax, often on the lookout for two fearful enemies: apostasy and legalism.
