Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
- Proverbs 22:6
The other day, I was at lunch with a friend and we both noticed something. Something that raised the same thoughts in each of us. Something that caused us to ask how do we raise our children in a way that we can be sure they will follow God and not give into societal or peer pressures. Something that causes us to ask how much freedom do we give our children to become who God made them to be while still guiding them to be who God wants them to be.
The something isn't relevant. It could be anything from the way they treat others, to the way they dress or speak. It could be the choices they make about their friends or the things they do on the Internet. Or many other things that consume the focus of a child in our care.
As we talked, we recollected on the way different people turned out as they grew up. The ones that were raised in a Christian home and in church and have been estranged from their family and chose a homosexual life. The ones that weren't and instead raised in a dysfunctional abusive home and have turned to God. And the ones that have been raised in and out of the church that have lived a "successful" life - college graduate, married for twenty years, financially secure, family of their own.
I've heard the stories of pastor's kids that have run from the things of God when they've become adults and I've heard of pastor's kids that are fully dedicated and committed to God. We looked at the generational transformation of the last 20, 50 and even 100 years. The things that our youth does today would never have been tolerated long ago. Of course, our parents thoughts were the same about the things that we did growing up as ours are of our childrens doings.
While we didn't answer the question, we basically agreed that you do the best you can, love them and live the example you are setting, spend time with them so hopefully they feel safe talking with you about their life, guide them and discipline where necessary but also allow some reigns so they can make choices for themselves.
Any thoughts from seasoned parents? What did you do and how did it turn out?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Garden
The Garden. Job was there. In fact, so much was against him that everyone close to him told him to curse God and die. But he stood. In spite of all that happened around him, losing his family, his health and all his possessions, in the midst of the worst of times, he chose to continue to believe God.
Joseph was there. While being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and later imprisoned for no fault of his own, he experienced the garden. He had a dream from God and he knew it wasn't the end yet. That in the midst of all that happened, there was a better end to come; it was only part of the journey.
Jesus knew. The Garden was where He anguished so deeply over what was to come He bled through his pores! It was a time where if anything could be done differently, He pleaded to God that it would. It was a time when all who were with Him couldn't stand alongside in prayer. He was all alone. Him and God. In the darknes of the night. Asking. Pleading even. But whatever happens, let it be Your will Father, not mine.
Have you been there? Most people at some time in their life has. It's a place where you are confronted with your will versus Gods will. The garden represents the crisis of faith. The deepest of the deep. When you have nothing left to stand on, will you still stand with God? It's not a fun place; it's not a place you look forward to visiting. But it is a place most everyone at some point in their life will visit.
The question isn't, will I visit? We will have times in our lives where we question God and His power and authority in our lives. The question is who will I be when I leave the garden? Will I leave with a deeper trust in God or will I search for something to replace God with?
The one thing that has shown up for Job, Joseph and Jesus is, with the right choice, it only gets better from there. Job went on trusting God and was rewarded with a double blessing of all that he lost. Joseph remembered his dream and trusted God to bring it forth and in turn saved his family and the entire land. Jesus accepted God's will and suffered for that which He didn't deserve and through His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave saved all those that call on His name and believe in Him.
Joseph was there. While being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and later imprisoned for no fault of his own, he experienced the garden. He had a dream from God and he knew it wasn't the end yet. That in the midst of all that happened, there was a better end to come; it was only part of the journey.
Jesus knew. The Garden was where He anguished so deeply over what was to come He bled through his pores! It was a time where if anything could be done differently, He pleaded to God that it would. It was a time when all who were with Him couldn't stand alongside in prayer. He was all alone. Him and God. In the darknes of the night. Asking. Pleading even. But whatever happens, let it be Your will Father, not mine.
Have you been there? Most people at some time in their life has. It's a place where you are confronted with your will versus Gods will. The garden represents the crisis of faith. The deepest of the deep. When you have nothing left to stand on, will you still stand with God? It's not a fun place; it's not a place you look forward to visiting. But it is a place most everyone at some point in their life will visit.
The question isn't, will I visit? We will have times in our lives where we question God and His power and authority in our lives. The question is who will I be when I leave the garden? Will I leave with a deeper trust in God or will I search for something to replace God with?
The one thing that has shown up for Job, Joseph and Jesus is, with the right choice, it only gets better from there. Job went on trusting God and was rewarded with a double blessing of all that he lost. Joseph remembered his dream and trusted God to bring it forth and in turn saved his family and the entire land. Jesus accepted God's will and suffered for that which He didn't deserve and through His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave saved all those that call on His name and believe in Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
