Please know when I share this post with you it’s because I want us to take our faith more seriously, not just for our own sake but for the sake of our children! I write this with love, kindness, and a non-judgemental heart.
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. -Proverbs 22:6
When choosing godparent/s, I see parents putting in a lot of effort in organising a gift or hamper in the form of a question to surprise their chosen godparents, but I often wonder if they put even more effort into selecting the godparent of their child. Just because so-and-so has been my best friend for many years or so-and-so has done so much for me I don’t want to offend them, I am not required or obliged to put them as my child’s godparent; this can be disastrous. It’s safe to say many of us don’t fully understand the role of a godparent because if we did, we would choose wisely and carefully. Besides the chosen godparent having the title and holding the child at the baptism, there is a greater responsibility in their hands. So let’s understand the purpose and responsibility together.
What is the purpose of a godparent?
They are responsible for the spiritual upbringing of your child and have the task of steering the child along the narrow path and bringing them up according to the law of God, which is perhaps the greatest of all things in life. Their duty is to guide the child to understand and practice the teachings of the church. Do you see how important it is to be selective in who you choose? This should be taken seriously, not lightly.
How should parents choose a godparent?
Parents should discuss with each other and pray about who they want to be their child’s godparent. And along with that, consider these points :
- The godparent should be someone who is a firm believer and active within the Apostolic Church.
- Someone who reflects the love and fear of God through their faith and actions.
- Someone you can trust will bring holiness to your child.
What are the responsibilities of a godparent?
- They are to be a Christ-like example to their godchild.
- They should make an effort to stay in touch frequently and develop a strong bond with their godchild and their parents.
- They should be working on their own spiritual life in order to help their godchild draw nearer to God.
- They should assist and encourage their godchild’s parents and ask how they can help.
- They should make an effort to explain and discuss the importance of having God in their godchild’s life.
- The godparent’s most important responsibility is to sincerely pray that God will protect and guide their godchild throughout his or her life.
Activities godparents can do with their godchild-
- Attend the liturgy services at the same time as them even if their parents are with them, they need to see that you are leading by example.
- Read and discuss a bible story with them.
- Buy them Christian gifts and books and read with them.
- Teach them the importance of prayer.
- Most importantly, show them that you can listen to them and give them advice whenever it’s needed.
What happens if my child’s godparent is not taking on their responsibility?
Pray about it and check in with your child’s godparent, perhaps they are going through a tough time. You can also remind them in a kind way about their responsibility and their importance in your child’s life.
In light of all of this, parents have a responsibility to instill a love of God in their children and to uphold His law in their homes. The godparent, however, bears the greater responsibility.
I really pray and hope if you’ve read this that you will take into consideration what I have mentioned and choose your child’s godparent very carefully we are living in a scary time and there is nothing more important than bringing up a child God-fearing.
May the Lord bless and guide you! With love, Mirna.
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