INQUIRER: How can I show a mother's love to my family when because of poverty, I am away from them to work?
BRO. ELI SORIANO (EFS): There is a need for communication. It should be told. There are children who cannot understand what their parents do. There are children, when you prohibit them from something, they think you do not love them. When you force them to do something, they think you do not love them. There are such children who do not know how to understand their parents. Such kinds of children want only themselves to be understood. They do not try to understand their parents. Now, it's like this - Children should understand, and the duty of parents is to make your children understand the doctrine of God. That is the foremost thing. In Ephesians 6:4 -
BRO. DANIEL RAZON (DSR): “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
EFS: The Bible says - Let us not provoke our children to wrath. Let us not be always angry, always shouting, you always kick, pinch them. There are people who are cruel to their children. As though their children did not come from their body. The Bible says -"...provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In English -
DSR: “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
EFS: That is the way we have to follow to bring up our children. "Let us not provoke not our children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition" of the Lord.” Now, if you teach your child the doctrine of the Lord, they will understand your sacrifices. For example, you are far from them, make a phone call once in a while. "Children, take care. I want to hug and kiss you but I am afar. I'm not here for pleasure. I serve other people so that you may live decently. I hope you would understand that." That lies on good communication. Sometimes, send them greeting cards. Call them once a week. That may not be too expensive. Isn't that correct? You can express it through words. There is no way to express it in action, so, through words, reminders - "Children, I am not there, take good care. Don't go with drunkards, with wicked ones. Pray always." Show to them that they are on your mind. Write them. Send greeting cards once a week, your children would see that you really care for them. That's what parents should do.
DSR: Does it mean, Bro. Eli, that it is not enough to pamper them with material things?
EFS: Material things are not enough. You send them money, chocolates... Those are not enough. There should be words of wisdom, words of love, words of care and affection, words of advice. Those are needed. Especially when you know the verses in the Bible, cite them in your letters, that will be implanted in a child's heart. If you give your child too much money, he might get into drugs, and go astray. Doctrine should always be involved. That's how it is.