But tell the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. Psalms 78:4
Have you ever seen one of these domino effect contests where they set up thousands of dominos spaced just right so that when one falls it starts a chain reaction that goes from domino to domino? That is a good visual depiction of the impact of our choices. Two thousand years ago by one righteous act Jesus set something in motion that continues to multiply today. It is multiplied through the millions of believers who respond to his love toward them by investing kindness into other people’s lives. Why does God wait until the end of the age before the Judgment Seat of Christ? We really don’t have a biblical answer to that question but logically the full effect of your life will go on for generation after generation. And the total effect has certainly not yet happened the day you die. I am convinced that when we get to heaven, we are going to be amazed at the impact our lives had. All we see is the immediate impact. We just see a few dominos out. But in reality, everything you do is to some degree affecting other people. That is both good news and bad news. If you have kids or grandkids, how is your life affecting them? How about friends, neighbors or co-workers?
The Lord reveals - We teachGod doesn’t constantly reveal Himself and His Word to each new generation. That’s not how He works. The next generation learns from the previous. We have all heard parents say that they will not force religion on their kids - they will just remain neutral and let their kids decide for themselves when they get old enough. Of course, a child must decide for himself, but they need the previous generation to teach and guide them. Faith is not just about us. It is about keeping the torch lit and passing it on to the next generation.
We hide the things of God by not teaching them. To fail to positively, purposefully, and systematically teach the Word of God to our kids hides something they desperately need. That’s why Sunday school, youth activities, children’s church, and all of the other kid’s ministries around here are so important. These supplement what kids from Christian families get at home and provide what a lot of kids get nowhere else.
We hide the works of God by not recalling them.(Testimonies) Our kids need to hear how the Lord has rescued us in the face of temptation. They need to hear about how He answered our prayers. We need to tell them about His guidance and faithfulness to us in the defining moments of our lives. To hide the works of God from the next generation is to deprive them of something vital.
We hide things of God by our hypocrisy.Our teaching matters, and our example is critical. But so is our honesty. Our kids need to know that we struggle, that life is not always easy, and that sometimes we fail. They need to hear our testimony that, even in those hard times, God is good, faithful, and gracious. They need to learn about the compassion of God and not just His commandments and judgement. They need to know that our God is a God of second chances, even third and fourth chances. We would never want them to presume upon the forgiveness of God, but neither do we want them to forget it.
What is your life saying to your kids, grandkids, or other people in your life about your faith? About your God? Be intentional with sharing what your faith means and what God has done in your life with those you have influence over. Your life may be the only testimony of faith they have ever been exposed to.
