Becoming a grandfather has caused me to do a little reflecting. Images of my girls when they were little pop into my mind frequently. I begin to question how well I did as a parent really investing in my kids and did I portray Godly values consistently before them. I just thank God for their mother that my girls have grown to be Godly women.
Reading through Proverbs, one gets the sense that Solomon is almost writing to his own kid. He refers often to "young man/men" or even "my son." It's like Solomon tried to write down things that would help his son keep on the right path, do the right things and be an outstanding young man. If only Rehoboam had read and adhered to the writings of his wise father. I wonder if Israel would have split into two kingdoms. I wonder if idol worship would have crept into both kingdoms or even if the people would have had to suffer through captivity. We will never know because apparently either Rehoboam never read or decided not to adhere to his father's teaching.
There is another possibility. It has been said that in parenting, especially regarding values and practices, more is caught than taught. Looking at the lifestyle and practices of Solomon at the end of his life, one will see a quite different Solomon than when he assumed the throne and wrote those words of wisdom. Unfortunately Solomon himself did not adhere to his own words at the end of his life. It is no doubt that Rehoboam simply adopted many of the patterns and practices of his dad's latter life.
The old adage, "Practice what you preach." has great relevancy when it comes to parenting or even discipling someone. It is true that more is caught than taught. If your lifestyle or daily practices do not match what you proclaim, then you are not just a hypocrite, you proclaim your actual beliefs. Just because you say you belief something, doesn't mean that you actually belief it. Your actions do speak louder than words and reveal the truth about you.
As a parent, I pass on the values that I live and practice, not what I spout. And just because I show up at church on a somewhat regular basis, does not mean that I'm living the values that Jesus taught and I verbally espouse. Wow! That's a heavy load to think about. It is important to teach your kids Godly principles and truths. But it is also another thing to live them. It is easy to say that we should care for others, the poor, widows and orphans, sick, naked, etc. But if we as a family never spend anytime actually helping people, then we have just told our kids that Jesus didn't mean that we should help people in need. If we spend all our time on us and never spend time giving to others, then we have told our kids that life is all about us. If we never reach out to unchurch, unsaved neighbors in genuine friendship like Jesus did, then we tell our kids that eternal for others and loving our neighbors are unimportant.
Maybe it's time to do a little reflecting on our own. Take a hard look at your life. Are you reflecting the values that you really want to pass on? Are you demonstrating to your kids what it means to live a Godly life? A Godly life not a perfect life. Are you really pursing God with everything you've got and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide you daily?
God, even though my girls are now young women, I want to reflect your glory, your principles, your truths in my life even more. I want them and my son-in-laws and now my grandchild to catch the value of serving you and being faithful until death from me. I am asking your Holy Spirit to continually mold me after your will. Thanks for forgiving my imperfections and tendencies to drift from you. Thanks for continually restoring me. Give me your wisdom as a parent.
Reading through Proverbs, one gets the sense that Solomon is almost writing to his own kid. He refers often to "young man/men" or even "my son." It's like Solomon tried to write down things that would help his son keep on the right path, do the right things and be an outstanding young man. If only Rehoboam had read and adhered to the writings of his wise father. I wonder if Israel would have split into two kingdoms. I wonder if idol worship would have crept into both kingdoms or even if the people would have had to suffer through captivity. We will never know because apparently either Rehoboam never read or decided not to adhere to his father's teaching.
There is another possibility. It has been said that in parenting, especially regarding values and practices, more is caught than taught. Looking at the lifestyle and practices of Solomon at the end of his life, one will see a quite different Solomon than when he assumed the throne and wrote those words of wisdom. Unfortunately Solomon himself did not adhere to his own words at the end of his life. It is no doubt that Rehoboam simply adopted many of the patterns and practices of his dad's latter life.
The old adage, "Practice what you preach." has great relevancy when it comes to parenting or even discipling someone. It is true that more is caught than taught. If your lifestyle or daily practices do not match what you proclaim, then you are not just a hypocrite, you proclaim your actual beliefs. Just because you say you belief something, doesn't mean that you actually belief it. Your actions do speak louder than words and reveal the truth about you.
As a parent, I pass on the values that I live and practice, not what I spout. And just because I show up at church on a somewhat regular basis, does not mean that I'm living the values that Jesus taught and I verbally espouse. Wow! That's a heavy load to think about. It is important to teach your kids Godly principles and truths. But it is also another thing to live them. It is easy to say that we should care for others, the poor, widows and orphans, sick, naked, etc. But if we as a family never spend anytime actually helping people, then we have just told our kids that Jesus didn't mean that we should help people in need. If we spend all our time on us and never spend time giving to others, then we have told our kids that life is all about us. If we never reach out to unchurch, unsaved neighbors in genuine friendship like Jesus did, then we tell our kids that eternal for others and loving our neighbors are unimportant.
Maybe it's time to do a little reflecting on our own. Take a hard look at your life. Are you reflecting the values that you really want to pass on? Are you demonstrating to your kids what it means to live a Godly life? A Godly life not a perfect life. Are you really pursing God with everything you've got and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide you daily?
God, even though my girls are now young women, I want to reflect your glory, your principles, your truths in my life even more. I want them and my son-in-laws and now my grandchild to catch the value of serving you and being faithful until death from me. I am asking your Holy Spirit to continually mold me after your will. Thanks for forgiving my imperfections and tendencies to drift from you. Thanks for continually restoring me. Give me your wisdom as a parent.
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