Parenting—A Lifetime Calling??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #249

As we see schools starting around us, the big yellow buses, and children laughing and playing, there is more to childhood than laughter (yet there is nothing much sweeter than the laughter of babies and young children, any children!).  As a dear old friend (who is now with The Lord) of mine used to say regularly, “The problem with children is ‘parents!”  When we as parents fail to heed the biblical admonition to raise our children in the fear of The Lord and instruct them in righteousness, it seems to me that one of the biggest problems isn’t lack of instruction (while we do lack a biblical world view in much of Christendom), as much as a lack of personal knowledge of God and His Word, and a life that displays the truths of God in all our ways.

Let’s peruse just a few things that The Word says about children and parents, and I’d like to start with a passage that many are familiar with in part; but the extended context can impact us even more, than just verses five and six.

“My son,

forget not my law;

but let thine heart keep my commandments:

2 For length of days,

and long life,

and peace,

shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth

forsake thee:

bind them about thy neck;

write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding

in the sight of God

and man.

 5 Trust in the LORD

with all thine heart;

and lean not

unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways

acknowledge him,

and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise

in thine own eyes:

fear the LORD,

and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel,

and marrow to thy bones.”  Proverbs 3:1-8

I pray that we will heed the truths which God gives with us and pursue a holy and righteous response to God’s call upon us as His children, as well as being parents to our own children, and an influence upon the lives of those children that God’s puts in our circle of influence!  And you do have influence on these lives, be it good, bad or indifferent—you are making a difference—are you leading them to Jesus or to hell?  Will you and I be the standard that calls others to follow Jesus, or do we repel others by being unfaithful ourselves?  Will you be the one picking up the stones in the way, or being a stumbling block to others—young or old?

“Go through,

go through the gates;

prepare ye the way of the people;

cast up,

cast up the highway;

gather out the stones;

lift up a standard

for the people.”  Isaiah 62:10

Jeremiah left a sobering message for his people; may we heed it today.  I encourage you to read it in context—a warning from God that we do reap what we sow.  (See Galatians 6:7)

“Set ye up a standard in the land,

blow the trumpet among the nations,

prepare the nations against her,

call together against her the kingdoms

of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz;

appoint a captain

against her;

cause the horses to come up

as the rough caterpillers.”  Jeremiah 51:27

Are you holding up God’s standard (banner/flag), or the world’s?  God knows, and the consequence is being set even now.

“Train up a child

in the way he should go:    (See John 14:6)

and when he is old,

he will not depart from it.

7 The rich ruleth over the poor,

and the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 He that soweth iniquity

shall reap vanity:

and the rod of his anger

shall fail.

9 He that hath a bountiful eye

shall be blessed;

for he giveth of his bread

to the poor.”  Proverbs 22:6-9

Some simple but profound principles of God, and Paul gives us another that we need to heed today.  Many today say, “Anything goes”, and while there may be a measure of truth in that, what they fail to proclaim is that for every choice there is a consequence!  The choice is yours, but choose wisely, there is a test—and please teach your children what God says, not man!

“Be not deceived:

evil communications

corrupt good manners.

34 Awake to righteousness,

and sin not;

for some have not the knowledge of God:

I speak this to your shame.”  1 Corinthians 15:33

(or as the NASB says, “…Bad company corrupts good morals..”)

May we dig into God’s Word and be prepared for the battle facing us in this nation; in this world.  We are called to be faithful before our God, and the world—a lost and dying world that needs Jesus!

Paul gives a great standard if we will but heed it:

“Let him that stole

steal no more:

but rather let him labour,

working with his hands the thing which is good,

that he may have to give to him that needeth.

 29 Let no corrupt communication

proceed out of your mouth,

but that which is good

to the use of edifying,

that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,

whereby ye are sealed

unto the day of redemption.”  Ephesians 4:28-30

Always remember there are little eyes and ears watching everything we say and do!  As Jesus said, may we be “…wise as serpents, and harmless as doves…” (See Matthew 10:16) Remember parenting is a lifetime calling!!!

Amen and Amen!!!