Long before he became the guy we remember as the one who ate locusts and honey, John the Baptizer's father prophesied what would become of this newborn. Since he recognized God's work about to unfold, his father spoke an identity over him.
"And you, child, will become the prophet of the Most High..."
Nothing in Zechariah's word says anything about being successful, respected, or making good money. To be sure, there are other places in the Bible that pray for those things. They have their place in life. But Zechariah's prophecy would teach John that he belongs to God's story.
And our churches should be where our children learn the same thing.
It's important to teach our children the skills to make a living, make a difference, and enjoy the life God gave them. But the Bible also shows us the deeper work of giving them a spiritual identity. There'll be times to teach them how to compete or how to build résumés. Who we are in Christ, though, is not based on that.
We bless our children as we prioritize learning the holiness, courage, and compassion important to understand the calling we all have. Being a parent or mentor, in part, means helping prepare someone for the world. But we should also be forming them for the kingdom, and not as an afterthought. 
Every week, our church takes time to pray for our young children. Even if none of them show up that day. That's also to show that raising children in the ways of the Lord was never meant to be a solo project. It takes parents, grandparents, mentors, and church family. The church, after all, is a community of blessing, not just a religious classroom.
Every act of faith and worship together matters to the identity we are helping people discover, especially our little ones. Every blessing says: “We see you. We’re with you. You belong.”
Stay blessed...john | 
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