“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” -Psalm 139:14
As I tucked one of our toddlers in bed this past week, I used an often repeated phrase in our home, “God made you so beautiful.”
In that moment, God reminded me that a small difference between good and godly parenting can sometimes be a simple shift of intentionality—a shift in how we direct our children’s hearts toward their Creator.
Consider the difference between saying “You’re so pretty” versus “God made you so beautiful.” Both are compliments, but one points to the child while the other points to God as the source.
When we acknowledge God’s hand in creating our children, we’re teaching them that their worth and identity come from being made in His image, not from themselves.
Or think about talent. We could say, “You’ve got real talent,” which affirms the child. But what if instead, we said, “God’s gifted you with real talent to use for Him”?
Now we’re helping them understand that their abilities aren’t just for personal achievement—they’re gifts from God meant to glorify Him and serve others.
Heart Shifts Through Small Moments
This intentional shift happens as we incorporate our faith into everyday moments:
- “You’re so smart” becomes “God gave you a good mind—use it well for Him”
- “You’re such a good friend” becomes “I love seeing how you show God’s love to others”
- “Great job” might become “I could see God working through you in that moment.”
These small changes might seem insignificant, but they’re actually foundational in shaping the way our children see themselves through the eyes of their Creator.
Good parenting raises capable, confident children. Godly parenting raises children who understand their capabilities and confidence come from God and are meant for His glory.
Direction Not Perfection
This doesn’t mean we never give direct affirmation to our children, but rather, we consistently help them trace every good thing about them back to its source.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” -James 1:17
We want them to grow up knowing that they are fearfully and wonderfully made, that every gift and talent has a divine purpose, and that their identity is rooted in being a child of God.
It’s not about being perfect with our words—it’s about being intentional with our direction. Where are we pointing our children’s hearts?… A small shift, but a huge key to progress from good to godly parenting.
Looking for more free ideas to shift from good to godly parenting? Find them here.
