I know some people that say they were successful parents because none of their children went to jail. That is good, but as parents, our goals for our kids should be much higher than that.

We should want our children to do more than just not get into trouble. We should want them to be lights in a dark world, people who love others more than themselves, individuals who take stands, and leaders who encourage others to do right.

Those are high goals in a society that demands people “go with the flow.” These goals can only be achieved with God’s help. Therefore, we must not only aim high with our goals but pray that God will work in our children’s hearts.

We must work hard to achieve our goals as parents. For that reason, we must be an example of what our children should be. We must make hard decisions at times, and say “no” when it isn’t always easy. We must discipline our kids when they rebel against us, or they will surely rebel against God. We must make standards for our home and require our kids to live by those standards. We must take time out of our busy schedules to spend with our kids. We must make it a habit of praising our kids when they do something praiseworthy. Finally, we must determine that as for our home, we will serve the Lord.

With high goals come high demands. We must face up to the challenge in God’s strength and raise our children to be servants of God and others. Are you aiming for a life prison‑free or a life that can change the world for good? Aim High.