Have you ever tried to construct your family tree? By the time you get to your great-great-great grandparents, you are looking at 32 different people! Each of those 32 people lived individual and likely very different lives, and the 16 pairs of grandparents came together at a point in history to create the family line that led to you.

It’s also crazy to think that it is possible that you are one of 32 people, contributing to the line of your great-great-great grandchild!

Thinking about family trees helps us to reflect on where we came from and what kind of parent you want to be. What impact will you have on your future ancestors?

Matthew 1 starts by showing us Jesus’ family tree. Just like Jesus had a long family line, our children come from a long line of people too. As parents, it’s important to tell our kids where they come from, what values our family has, and what kind of people God wants them to grow up to be. We can learn from our ancestors’ mistakes and victories.

Matthew 1 continues with a short version of Jesus’ birth. When Joseph found out Mary was going to have a baby before they got married, he could have been really upset. But instead of embarrassing Mary or causing problems, he decided to protect her. Parents can learn from Joseph’s kindness. Even when things don’t go as planned, it’s important to respond with love and understanding, providing our kids the unconditional love, safety and security that God provides to us.

Joseph listened when God told him, through an angel, that Mary’s baby was special and would save people. He trusted God, even though it wasn’t easy. As parents, we can teach our kids to listen to God’s guidance and trust that He has a good plan for their lives.

God had a special plan for Jesus, and Joseph helped Jesus grow up to fulfil that plan. We should help our children discover their talents and dreams, and support them as they follow the path that God has for them.

To summarise, Matthew 1 teaches us to help our children understand who they are, where they have come from, show them unconditional love and kindness, trust God, and help them follow their own unique, God-planned purpose.

God made you a parent to reflect His heart, full of unconditional love, so that your child may grow to know and share that love with the world.