Thursday, January 30, 2025
Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
In Every Season
For children, there is no greater influence in their lives than home and family. For better or worse, where we come from shapes us. It is not the only thing that shapes us, but our home and family are a big part of who we are. As parents, we want to do the very best we can for our children. These words written in Deuteronomy for parents, grandparents, or anyone who loves and has influence over children, are as important today as the day they were written. Whether it is your children, grandchildren, or other children in your life, the most important thing we can do for them is to pass on the Gospel and the words of God.
Obviously, the biggest influence we have on our children/grandchildren is our behavior. The way we act and react, the language we use and the way we say it, and the way we treat them, and others is on display every day of their lives. It is also being recorded in their hearts and minds.
As we have been learning for some time now, when we have a relationship with Jesus, and we grow in that relationship, stepping where the spirit steps, his spirit flows out of our lives. It is important for us to stay spiritually healthy and maintain that relationship with him so that we continually impact those around us for the kingdom. The one thing Jesus told us to do when he left was to go and make disciples, but we sometimes forget that it starts at home. If we are in a season where we have small children in our lives, they are the disciples for that season. We have the privilege and opportunity to impact their lives and build a foundation of faith for them that they can stand on for their whole lives.
How can we show our children what we believe? Repeat, Talk Bind, and Write.
Whatever season you are in, make sure you are influencing others in your life for the best. Post God’s words in your house where you can see them and be reminded and where your children can see them. Let them see you reading the bible and praying. Let them see you being discipled and discipling others. Repeat to them what you are learning. Tell them about the faithfulness of God in your life. Tell them about any miracles.
Let them see you going to church. Let them see you serving. Let them see you living your whole life for him. Let them see his love spilling out of your life to others. With everything – with your thoughts – actions – words – may they teach your children what you believe. Make sure you teach them what to believe because if you don’t the world will. Disciple them so that when this broken world becomes a reality in their world they know where to go, what to do, and how to pray.
Now is the time to set these principles into motion and decide what kind of testimony you want to live out in front of your family every day.
