Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Becoming Responsible: How Parenting Calls Us Out of Ourselves
Read Chapter 1 of Sacred Parenting by Gary L. Thomas.
Previewing Week 2 of Sacred Parenting
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 12-week guide when you’re ready.
One of parenting's most radical effects is that it forces us to stop living primarily for ourselves — and Thomas explores how that painful, beautiful reorientation is one of God's most effective tools.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Thomas argues that having children fundamentally disrupts our self-centeredness in ways that few other life experiences can match. How has parenting — or caring for others — revealed selfishness in you that you didn't know was there?
2.He draws a distinction between being 'responsible for' someone and being 'responsible to' someone. How do children press us into the deeper, more demanding category of the former? Why is that spiritually significant?
3.Thomas uses vivid stories of parents being pulled out of comfort, sleep, convenience, and personal plans by the needs of their children. Which illustration in this chapter most resonated with your own experience, and why?