Monday, May 16, 2022
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21
It has been said that hindsight is 20/20 and that is never truer than when we look back on our lives. Unfortunately we don’t have the opportunity to go backwards in life and we don’t get many re-dos. However, we can use the wisdom we gain in the best way possible by imparting what we can to the next generation. This past Sunday was graduation Sunday where we recognize all the high school and college graduates in our congregation. There are so many admonitions and warnings, bits of advice and guidance we all want to impart (with desperation) to this up and coming generation that, I am sad to say, knows little of the values and work ethic that their grandparents embraced.
No, the world is not the same. It has changed drastically and the way we raise our kids has changed drastically with it, but there are still some core values to life that should never change. The values we pass on to our kids today will very likely determine the kind of life they live as adults. These values will serve guides to help them develop a sense of right from wrong, make wise choices about where to spend money and time as well as other behaviors. As parents or significant adults in their lives, we need to help kids today know that real value is in things of eternal nature, not worldly possessions.
Here are seven very important things we can teach our kids to value more than possessions:
- Honesty - When children learn the value of honesty at an early age, they are more likely to become honest adults.
- Family Members – Home should be a safe place for children. They should learn to value and respect one another and one another’s possessions. Family and home should be a stable environment where children can thrive and provides a foundation for them to succeed in life.
- Learning – Children need to value learning as well as the process of learning so they never want to stop. Teach them to love reading, exploring, and to ask lots of questions.
- Their Soul – We need to instill into our kids that they are more than just flesh and blood taking up space. They are also made of mind, heart, soul, and will. And decisions in their lives should be based on more than just what everyone else with flesh and blood is doing… their decisions should be based on the internal compass inside their heart and soul.
- The Opposite Sex – Boys need to learn to value and respects girls. Girls need to learn to value and respect boys. Each offers unique insight and brings beauty into our world. Viewing each other in any other way leads to unhealthy relationships – out of the realm God intended.
- Nature – If we teach our kids to appreciate the world around them, they are more likely to want to take care of it, and it is likely that in the future, the time may come back around where they will have to depend on nature and the earth for their livelihood. Teach them to enjoy being outside and appreciating the beautiful world God has given them as a gift.
- Friendship – Kids should learn to honor their friends at an early age and care for their friendships with respect. Good friends are hard to find and they can make all the difference in the kind of life we live.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2
