KIDDOS

Hello Tuesday! So sorry about missing yesterday. After many trips to the vet for a couple of dogs, a trip to the dentist for some major pain and his diagnosis of a root canal, I was a little out of it. So back today after a few rounds of antibiotics and ibuprofen and ready to go. Hope you are too!
Today we will turn our attention to the children in our lives, whether they are ours or children we have influence over. My children's rearing is an area where I doubt myself the most. Am I raising them in a godly manner? Am I instilling in them the belief in Christ that I hope someday they will claim as their own?
I have also had influence over children who weren't mine. I taught high school for ten years. Let me just tell you now, trying to show unconditional love to teenagers who are not yours- not always so easy. I can't think of a bigger mission field in America than the public schools.
What about kids at church? Do I show Jesus when I keep the nursery or teach Sunday school? What about the younger women at my church? What am I showing them?
We have influence over many more people than we think. We have nieces and nephews, church kids, neighbors' kids, our kids' friends, etc.
1. Take a moment and write down all the children you have influence over.
We talked yesterday about having unconditional love for those in our house (our lives) and showing it. That includes our children. We will not always like the actions and attitudes of the kids in our life, and rightly so at times, but we can deal with those issues in love. Our responsibility to train our children is not negated by their behavior. Kids need to know we love them- period. This love not only provides them with security but also with a tangible model of Christ's love for us.
Would like today for us to look at a couple of examples from the Old Testament that model an aspect of that training.
2. Please read Exodus 10:1-2 and Joshua 4:1-7. What is the common purpose in both passages?
I hope you saw the shared expectation of telling the children. In Exodus, what God had done in Egypt was to be told "in the hearing of your son and your son's sons." In Joshua, the stones were to be used as a teaching tool recalling the river Jordan crossing.
3. Read Deuteronomy 11:1-7. Who was Moses pointedly addressing?
Notice how he focused on those who had seen the miracles of God.
4. Now read verse 19 of the same chapter. What were the children of Israel to do with the words Moses had spoken?
For the most part, our children (those we have influence over) have not seen the miracles of God we have. They do not have the life experiences we have had. It is our job to teach them about Christ and the ways of God. It is my job to train my sons up in the way of the Lord. I am responsible for guarding their hearts and minds regarding what they watch and what they listen to. It is my responsibility to speak over then the words and Word of life found in the pages of of the Bible. I can give them the testimony of what Christ has been and done in my life, how He has protected and provided for our family, how He continues to watch over us and how He has plans for us all.
I can do the same for the kids I come in contact with and so can you. A spiritual heritage is a worthy heritage- look at Paul and Timothy. Rise up today and being working on your spiritual family tree!