Pretty much every psychology book tells you that this is wrong. By giving your children everything they ask you will be spoiling them and they won’t value effort. Why work when everything is given to me? Now granted this is not the absolute rule, there are many spoiled kids out there that are doing great. But the reality is gloomy. Money magazine headlines “70% of Rich Families Lose Their Wealth by the Second Generation” So the vast majority of kids that don’t “have to work” simply don’t until they are broke. It’s sad isn’t it?
When you don’t instil the desire to be successful in your kids rarely they build that on their own. And being poor, while the reverse of the coin here where they don’t get anything, has an equal devastating effect. A study by the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University, found that children who grew up poor were vastly more likely to experience poverty as adults. But this one is a bit more clear why. Poor families don’t value education and they find themselves in a rat race where they have to work in anything to survive. But in order to thrive you need to spend time educating yourself. Learning other skills, making connections and poor families either don’t value this or are simply under the gun. They “can’t” make room for improvements.
STOP! “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
Isn’t God telling us He is going to give us anything we want? Does not God, the most powerful being, care about his children? And this is where most people become angry and shy away from God. “It is in the Bible!!! I’ve asked for things and God did not honor his word. It’s all a lie!”
STOP again. Let’s read the whole verse: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
There is a big catch right there. You need to remain trusting, and His words need to be the truth in your heart. I said before God is not a Genie that will grant you 3 wishes. God is a FATHER that wants to EDUCATE you. By giving everything you want most likely it won’t make you better. God wants you to LEARN how to get what you want.
If you give a man a fish you feed him for the day. If you Teach a man how to fish you will feed him for a lifetime.
The same way you want your kids to grow and be independent, so does the Father. And it is right there in the bible again:
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth” Deuteronomy 8:18
The ABILITY to produce wealth. ABILITY, not the wealth itself. God wants you to learn how to become successful and THAT is what you need to pray for. For God to give you wisdom, skills, clarity to see ways to become successful. And He will, oh He will.
But that is exactly how the enemy holds people down. With doubt, with lack of self respect, with lack of clarity, lack of good and profitable ideas and lack of effort, by not remaining in Him and His words in you.
“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” Zig Ziglar
So don’t ask the Father for stuff, ask the Father for good ideas, clarity and energy to design and implement Goals that can truly bring lasting wealth.