Are We Doing Enough for Parents?

In this episode of Wake Up Look Up, Pastor Zach explores the growing challenges facing American families, including rising costs, parental stress, and the pressures of raising children in today's culture. Reflecting on the role of both government and the church, he argues that Christians are uniquely called to come alongside parents with practical support, encouragement, and care. He also challenges listeners to consider how they can help carry the burdens of the families around them.

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Creators and Guests

Host

Zach Weihrauch

Follower of Jesus who has graciously given me a wife to love, children to shepherd, and a church to pastor.

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Check out new episodes of our daily podcast, Wake Up, Look Up, with Zach Weihrauch as he interprets what's happening in our world through the lens of the gospel.

Hello everyone, and thanks for listening to Wake Up, Look Up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch, and in today's episode, we're asking the question, are we doing enough for parents? This is prompted by an article I read recently in the New York Times about how the American family is at a breaking point. There's not much in the political landscape in America on which Republicans and Democrats agree, conservatives and liberals seeing it the same way. But increasingly, one issue on which there's bipartisan collaboration and support is on concern for the American family. 48% of American parents report feeling overwhelming stress. 70% of American parents say that raising children is becoming unaffordable. since 1990, only 36 years ago, the cost of childcare, for example, in America has tripled. Now, for a long time, raising children in the American family has been seen as a private matter, each family navigating work and finances the way that makes sense to them. However, there's a growing movement across the American political landscape that raising children is a public good. We need strong parents. We need strong families. And perhaps the government should look at ways it can come alongside the American family and help out. So my question is, kind of, well, maybe twofold. One is, how should we think about government getting involved and helping families? And then on the other side, how should we think about families in general? On the first one, I'll say this. You know, anytime the government gets involved, it tends to come with strings attached. My concern about the government subsidizing, childcare or finding ways to financially incentivize parents towards any course of action is that the government is going to be pressing down its view of parenting, its view of the American family, onto the way we think about how to raise our children. Also have concern, of course, about the welfare state. And as well, it is hard to raise children. It is financially difficult. It comes with sacrifices. It comes with a different kind of lifestyle. what we've seen in the American public is we're not very good about handling money. The government just comes in and starts passing out money. The consequence of that probably is just more irresponsibility. I'm wary of government involvement, but that doesn't mean I'm tone deaf to the need of American parents. I see it primarily as the responsibility of the local church. The Apostle Paul says this in Galatians 6. Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Remember, Jesus said, the whole law boils down to this. To love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. When Paul says that within the church, as we bear each other's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ, he's saying that when we step in to help out a brother or sister in need, because they're a brother or sister, we are doing two things. We're honoring the God who made us family through Christ, and we're loving our neighbor by serving them and carrying their loan. Look, the church has a responsibility to the families within its midst to actually coach them and develop them, to teach them about, financial management, to teach them the dangers of materialism, to talk about what the economy of the family looks like in terms of challenging men to share the load at home, helping them to build family structures that are sustainable in the culture and world in which we move. And then, of course, also to step into the gap. The church is full of, for example, retired people who have time and expertise and wisdom to give. I'm always telling you that the power that is available, by just taking someone for a cup of coffee, a young mom, a young dad, and telling them, I know it feels overwhelming right now, but you'll get the hang of it. It gets better. Of course the church is equipped to help financially when appropriate. It's even something I talk to my 16 year old daughter about. You know, she does a ton of babysitting and I'm telling her, hey, when you get an opportunity for a family in need in the right situation, consider doing it for free. Doing it as an act of service, doing it because you're their sister in Christ. My point is this. If American parents are feeling overwhelmed, then in the church, empathy and sympathy should be the tools that we're using to feel that pain with them, to come alongside them and lift them up in the difficult work. Lift them up emotionally, mentally, spiritually, financially, through acts of service. So here's my challenge to you. Do you know of a young family who that's maybe feeling this pinch? what can you do for them? Can you bring a meal by? Can you write a letter of encouragement? Send them a gift card to their favorite restaurant, Take them out for a cup of coffee at least today, spend time in prayer for them? The truth is, all of us who have parented have at one point or another felt overwhelmed. How incredible would it be to feel like your church is in the foxhole with you? American parents in the church should be loved and cared for more than anyone else. I think we have a lot of room to grow in that direction. Hey, thanks for checking out. Wake Up, Look Up. For more content, be sure to visit the Christ Community Chapel app or website ccchapel.com.

Have an article you’d like Zach to discuss? Email us at [e-mail]!