Mothers and Fathers run and run. Trying to get to the end of their list. Feeling pressure from all sides the thing that gets left out is them. They stare straight into the specter that is their life and measuring it against their felt needs they realize they indeed are slaves. On every ones list they are dead last. Their emotions run hot when given to this thought pattern making them resentful, somehow life has cheated them. This is the road and these are the signs that warn of disaster. If you spend enough time dead in this ditch, your chief desire will be to serve yourself at any cost. Families are thrown off, jobs are cast asunder, and all reason is gone. The only thing left is broken hearts and shattered children.
When we look at Romans, we realize that yes we are slaves and there are only two kinds – slaves to sin and slaves to righteous. God has called you to be a slave of righteousness; it is Satan that whispers the deceitful words of self gratification. That beast will never be filled.
It's a wife who concerns herself with the clothing and food for her home, cleaning up during the day and losing sleep at night. When someone is sick they are the nurse when someone has a cut they are the medic. They are occupied with family all the day long. When it is finally night they are restless concerned about the loose ends of life. It's the Godly woman who looks straight through these things and rejoices in Christ. It is her joy to serve him in all the things he has called her to. Christ is your master serve worthily.
Likewise husbands who toil and work, fighting all the day long. You come home and instead of a brief rest, demands for your life come pouring in like a flood. Sometimes beaten down with your inadequacies you stumble and try catching your breath. You have so many masters, your very life is not your own; you are a slave! Go the second mile, cry out to God. Choose to be his slave of righteousness and consider it all joy to obey him. Put down your bloody expectations that terrorize your mind and serve him with peace.
If you must walk in the spirit to be a good parent then by definition only Christians can be good parents. I define good as in Abraham who God said commanded his children after him. Then as a logical conclusion the door I'm describing must be walked through. We must then live it consistently in the one place where we are not able to hide. Our spouse and our children are constantly watching and being affected. The negative effects are easily seen and well documented. The positive effects are generational. As we work hard in these areas it would seem to fulfill the "showing mercy to a thousand generations of them that love me" – could it be that self denial is loving and obeying Christ?
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