“How will this affect their souls?” Love for the souls of your children is the quintessence of all love. To pet and pamper and indulge your child, as if this world was all he had to look to, and this life the only season for happiness—to do this is not true love, but cruelty.

Of all that we could teach our children, teaching them how they can know and love God surpasses everything else.

—John & Misty Snyder, Behold Your God: Seeking Him Early

J.C. Ryle (1816—1900) was a British scholar, Bishop, and author. Ryle excelled as a scholar and was converted late in his school days. Young Ryle had plans to pursue a career in politics before financial ruin forced him to consider other options. He then joined the church, and later celebrated the disappointments in his life that led him to this final calling. Ryle went on to write multiple books, the most widely-known of which is his commentary series, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Before his retirement and death in 1900, Ryle became the first Bishop of Liverpool.

Below, read Ryle’s sobering call to act always according to your children’s eternal interest.

Precious, no doubt, are these little ones in your eyes; but if you love them, think often of their souls. No interest should weigh with you so much as their eternal interests. No part of them should be so dear to you as that part which will never die. The world, with all its glory, shall pass away; the hills shall melt; the heavens shall be wrapped together as a scroll; the sun shall cease to shine.

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