Joey & Carla Link
August 19, 2026
What a tough question! Hopefully, your answer is yes. But there are many times we, as parents, say things and make promises with good intentions, but for some reason, we just don’t keep them.
We are talking about keeping your word. I (Carla) remember my Dad said he would pay my way through college, but he didn’t. He also told me he would buy me a car if I got all A’s in High school, but he didn’t do that either. Those unfulfilled promises still ring in my ears today saying, “If my dad could not follow through with promises like that, how could I trust anything else he said to me?”
My dad may have been trying to motivate me to do well in school, but these are perfect examples of how parents can make innocent promises that can actually undermine trust.
As dads and moms, we are a representation of who Jesus is to our kids. If we want our kids to believe in Jesus, then we need to represent Him by keeping our promises, just as He does. In I Corinthians 11:1 Paul says “Follow my example because I follow the example of Christ.” As parents, we need to be an example of God’s character to our kids through the way we live, and especially by keeping our promises, so they can learn to trust that God will keep His promises too.
On my (Joey) 12th birthday, my dad gave me a fishing pole. My dad promised that four days later, on Saturday morning, he would take me fishing. Friday night came, and we packed up everything we needed to go fishing early Saturday morning.
If something had come up that prevented my dad from taking me fishing, I believe it would have undermined my trust in my dad’s word. My dad wasn’t perfect, but to this day, I have great respect for all the things he did for me and taught me because I knew my dad would keep his word.
Can your kids trust you will keep your word?
“A man who makes a vow to the LORD or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.”
Number 30:2
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Parenting Made Practical Podcast
Trust is the foundation of any relationship. For kids to obey, they need to be able to trust their parents. Learn 5 ways parents often undercut trust with their kids.
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