“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
--Deuteronomy 6:6-7
As a parent, nothing can happen through you until it first happens in you. That’s why today’s verse says that God’s Word and ways must be in your heart before you can teach God’s Word and his ways to your children.
The simple but unalterable truth is that you cannot lead your children where you have not been yourself. You cannot expect your children to lead dynamic, Spirit-filled Christian lives if you aren’t living a vibrant, dynamic, Spirit-filled Christian life yourself.
It doesn’t matter their age, children can spot insincerity and phoniness and hypocrisy from a mile away. And nowhere is their radar more accurate than it is at home. That’s why I tell parents that your kids don’t expect you to be perfect, but they do expect you to be real! They expect sincerity.
So let me make this as practical as I possibly can today. Are you the same person at home as you are away from home? If your kids saw you at work or at a lunch meeting with clients or at a dinner with friends, would they recognize you by the way you act and talk?
Today more than ever, our children need moms and dads who consistently and creatively pour the Word and wisdom of God into their lives. They need your encouragement and example!
That means spending the time on your own relationship with Christ so you can pour God’s Word and God’s ways into your children’s lives. It means initiating conversations with your kids about spiritual things. It means looking for ways to weave God into the normal, everyday routine of life.
Our kids don’t need passive parents. They need active, intentional, instructional moms and dads who are passionate about their own walks with Christ and who will instill in their children the truth, promise, and blessing that comes from the Word of God.
That’s what it takes to have a truly successful and happy family. And it’s a sacrifice I pray you’d be willing to make as a parent today.
YOU CANNOT EXPECT YOUR CHILDREN TO LEAD DYNAMIC, SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIAN LIVES IF YOU AREN’T LIVING A VIBRANT, DYNAMIC, SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIAN LIFE YOURSELF.
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.”
Luke 9:32–33
One of the most majestic sights in the United States is the great peaks of the Rocky Mountains. If you travel across the west, the tall mountains rise up and up. Many of them are covered with snow all year long because of their elevation. Yet as beautiful as they are, it is because of that elevation and the resulting cold air and lack of soil or moisture that almost nothing grows on the tops of the mountains. There is what is called a “tree line” and once you get above that point, there is little plant or animal life. The mountains are lovely to look at and experience, but they are not a place to stay.
Peter was amazed by what he saw on the Mount of Transfiguration and wanted to just stay there. He was all for building structures and leaving the rest of the world behind. But God does not call us to withdraw from the world and isolate ourselves into tiny spiritual communities. He calls us to go meet with people where they are and reach out to them with the gospel. Peter’s desire is understandable, but as the text from Luke tells us, it was based on a lack of understanding of God’s plan. There are times to rest and recharge our spiritual batteries. There are times to spend seasons alone with God. But most of our lives are to be lived among the people around us, loving and ministering to them as Jesus did.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Although mountaintop experiences are a blessing, most of the work of the Christian life is done in the valleys.
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