"Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge..." 1 Timothy 6:20
I was reading this morning on topic of stewardship, and came across this verse. My mind went immediately to the stewardship of my children, entrusted to Jimmy and me by God. My service to God, in whatever he has given me to do-including parenting-involves guarding and protecting what is already His. Not only that, but I need to give them back to Him better than they were when they were given to me. In the parable of the talents, the careless steward was chastised because he did nothing with what was given to him. He didn't improve upon it, didn't put it to use, didn't make it better.
My job as a parent is to guard the spiritual condition of the children who have been put into my care. I can only do this by listening to Truth and using that Truth as a guide and a measure. Nothing else in the world can replace that Truth. But everything in the world tries to replace it. "Godless chatter" and "opposing ideas" that falsely disguise themselves as "knowledge" attempt to replace Truth in every aspect of our lives. And it is very easy to fall victim to their attempts.
We look to countless resources to make us better parents. Who doesn't remember that fat yellow "What to Expect" book? I know I was glued to that book for at least three years. But what else do we listen to? Everyone has suggestions to make us better parents, to make our kids better kids. A couple of weeks ago I saw a Back-to-School commercial that suggested the best thing a mom could do for her kids was to make sure they went back to school "in style"...forget teachers and grades! "Experts" tell us to make sure our kids "feel good" about themselves and their lives...translation, make them happy. Other "experts" tell us to make sure their grades and test scores and transcripts are capable of gaining them admittance to the most prestigious schools with the best scholarships.
At least twice a year, I fall victim to that last bit of "knowledge". I allow someone's expertise in the area of education to freak me out and cause me to panic. Am I teaching all the right subjects? Have I missed something? Am I accurately preparing my girls? Then the rock that is my husband gently points me back to the right place. Back to the Truth.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:5-8. That's it. That's the command. That's the Truth. Everything else is secondary. We are not bringing our children up for the pleasure or praise of man. We are bringing them up to bring glory to God. If we do that right, everything else will be good.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Basic Training
In the past year, I have had two friends send their sons off to basic training in a branch of the US Military. During those weeks, communication between those in training and their loved ones was minimal at best. Those young men and women in training were kept in "isolation" from the rest of the world, with only one focus: to train to be the best at their job. In the end, they were supposed to come out of training looking like a soldier or an airman. If they came out looking like anything else, it would have been considered a failure.
Why were they isolated? They were isolated so that they would not be distracted from the goal. Their complete attention and focus was demanded. Anything less would leave them looking like less than what they trained to become. They were surrounded by others with the same focus and the same goal. They were taught by those who had already been through the same training.
I can't help but make the connection here to discipleship and our children. No, I am not suggesting that we "isolate" our children by locking them up in the house and not letting them out until they are 21. But I am suggesting that there is something to be learned here.
Over and over in the last several months, I have been taken back to the concept of "separateness" in the Word of God; by my pastors, by my own study, by blogs and articles and books. I am pretty sure God has been trying to teach me something, or at least reinforce something he has already taught me. Consider the following verses:
"But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:20-24 ESV).
We have been taught differently. As Christians we ARE different. We are renewed and made over to look like Him.
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV)
As disciples we are to imitate Him. To imitate him we have to know him intimately (Philippians 3:10), follow him (John 8:12) and listen to him (John 10:27).
Paul goes on in Ephesians to tell us more about how we are to become imitators of God.
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (Ephesians 5:11 ESV).
The NIV says "Have nothing to do..." We are to have NO part in darkness. No association with it at all. Our life, lived in imitation of God's sacrificial love, is to be marked by purity and holiness. God's directive regarding impurity, immorality, and greed is simple-do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5:7)
What does that look like at home? How do we train our children to imitate Christ? I think it is obvious from these verses that we start by helping them understand that they are to look different. No, I don't mean they dress weird, or that girls don't wear make-up, or that boys wear long sleeved white shirts. I mean that they live differently, they talk differently, they act differently. I mean that they don't go to the same places, watch the same movies, listen to the same music. They don't "look" like the world. They "look" like Christ.
Parents, don't let them believe that they can do the things their "friends" do and still look different, still be separate. It is not possible. No one at that party is thinking about the fact that your child isn't drinking. They aren't thinking about the fact that he isn't cursing. They are only recognizing that he (or she!) is there, with them. Therefore, in their minds, your child is like them. Furthermore, while no one at that party is thinking about your child not drinking or cursing (or whatever), I can guarantee that your child IS thinking about those things. And he or she is feeling different, and is likely to be tempted to be like everyone else.
This is hard stuff. These are hard times. These days call for hard parenting. The rules have changed in the last 20 years. Things that were "darkness" were done in darkness 20 years ago. Those things are done in the light of day today. Are you going to be a popular parent? Will your kids be thrilled with your standards? Maybe not. But we do not answer to other parents and we do not answer to our children. We answer to God. We have been charged with the ultimate discipleship task. At the end of the day, we are responsible to God for our child. We have so short a time..."make the most of every opportunity, for the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16)
Why were they isolated? They were isolated so that they would not be distracted from the goal. Their complete attention and focus was demanded. Anything less would leave them looking like less than what they trained to become. They were surrounded by others with the same focus and the same goal. They were taught by those who had already been through the same training.
I can't help but make the connection here to discipleship and our children. No, I am not suggesting that we "isolate" our children by locking them up in the house and not letting them out until they are 21. But I am suggesting that there is something to be learned here.
Over and over in the last several months, I have been taken back to the concept of "separateness" in the Word of God; by my pastors, by my own study, by blogs and articles and books. I am pretty sure God has been trying to teach me something, or at least reinforce something he has already taught me. Consider the following verses:
"But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:20-24 ESV).
We have been taught differently. As Christians we ARE different. We are renewed and made over to look like Him.
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV)
As disciples we are to imitate Him. To imitate him we have to know him intimately (Philippians 3:10), follow him (John 8:12) and listen to him (John 10:27).
Paul goes on in Ephesians to tell us more about how we are to become imitators of God.
"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (Ephesians 5:11 ESV).
The NIV says "Have nothing to do..." We are to have NO part in darkness. No association with it at all. Our life, lived in imitation of God's sacrificial love, is to be marked by purity and holiness. God's directive regarding impurity, immorality, and greed is simple-do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5:7)
What does that look like at home? How do we train our children to imitate Christ? I think it is obvious from these verses that we start by helping them understand that they are to look different. No, I don't mean they dress weird, or that girls don't wear make-up, or that boys wear long sleeved white shirts. I mean that they live differently, they talk differently, they act differently. I mean that they don't go to the same places, watch the same movies, listen to the same music. They don't "look" like the world. They "look" like Christ.
Parents, don't let them believe that they can do the things their "friends" do and still look different, still be separate. It is not possible. No one at that party is thinking about the fact that your child isn't drinking. They aren't thinking about the fact that he isn't cursing. They are only recognizing that he (or she!) is there, with them. Therefore, in their minds, your child is like them. Furthermore, while no one at that party is thinking about your child not drinking or cursing (or whatever), I can guarantee that your child IS thinking about those things. And he or she is feeling different, and is likely to be tempted to be like everyone else.
This is hard stuff. These are hard times. These days call for hard parenting. The rules have changed in the last 20 years. Things that were "darkness" were done in darkness 20 years ago. Those things are done in the light of day today. Are you going to be a popular parent? Will your kids be thrilled with your standards? Maybe not. But we do not answer to other parents and we do not answer to our children. We answer to God. We have been charged with the ultimate discipleship task. At the end of the day, we are responsible to God for our child. We have so short a time..."make the most of every opportunity, for the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16)
Monday, August 8, 2011
Aiming for Perfection
I just love how God's Word speaks truth into my life. I love that "aha moment" when something just jumps off the pages. I love that when I ask him to teach me something new, he does.
I was reading this morning in Ephesians and I came to this verse: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3
Make EVERY effort...that sounded pretty emphatic. Paul was serious about that, as my husband would say. So I began looking at other verses on unity. Using my big black Thompson Chain Reference, I started looking at verses on the exhortation to unity. I found the following:
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." 1 Corinthians 1:10
Wow...that one jumped out even more than the first. "ALL of you should AGREE with one another in what you say and do...NO divisions...PERFECTLY UNITED in mind and thought." Paul leaves absolutely no wiggle room in that one! This verse completely takes away the argument that says we don't have to agree on every little thing when it comes to spiritual matters. There goes the whole "agree to disagree" idea.
Paul wasn't done..."Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11
Aim for PERFECTION. Wow...this gets harder and harder. Close enough doesn't cut it. Sometimes, sort-of, almost...nope. Perfection. 100 percent, completely, all the time. Good enough is not good enough when it comes to holiness.
The next one is one of my favorite verses: "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel..." Philippians 1:27
Whatever happens. No matter what. No excuses. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy. The Church is to be united. The body is to be unified. Always, completely, perfectly.
I have been convicted in the last year or two that "comfortable, convenient Christianity" is not Christianity at all. Being a Christ follower requires everything. Salvation is simple, it is free; But living for Christ is hard work, and it is costly. It costs me my rights, my opinions, my wants, my preferences. Am I there yet? Absolutely not, I'm not even close. But I desire to be there. This is one of those areas God has shown me that I am going to have to let him work on...believers are commanded to do more than just "get along". He calls us to be united, aiming for perfection, and living in harmony as one body.
I was reading this morning in Ephesians and I came to this verse: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3
Make EVERY effort...that sounded pretty emphatic. Paul was serious about that, as my husband would say. So I began looking at other verses on unity. Using my big black Thompson Chain Reference, I started looking at verses on the exhortation to unity. I found the following:
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." 1 Corinthians 1:10
Wow...that one jumped out even more than the first. "ALL of you should AGREE with one another in what you say and do...NO divisions...PERFECTLY UNITED in mind and thought." Paul leaves absolutely no wiggle room in that one! This verse completely takes away the argument that says we don't have to agree on every little thing when it comes to spiritual matters. There goes the whole "agree to disagree" idea.
Paul wasn't done..."Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11
Aim for PERFECTION. Wow...this gets harder and harder. Close enough doesn't cut it. Sometimes, sort-of, almost...nope. Perfection. 100 percent, completely, all the time. Good enough is not good enough when it comes to holiness.
The next one is one of my favorite verses: "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel..." Philippians 1:27
Whatever happens. No matter what. No excuses. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy. The Church is to be united. The body is to be unified. Always, completely, perfectly.
I have been convicted in the last year or two that "comfortable, convenient Christianity" is not Christianity at all. Being a Christ follower requires everything. Salvation is simple, it is free; But living for Christ is hard work, and it is costly. It costs me my rights, my opinions, my wants, my preferences. Am I there yet? Absolutely not, I'm not even close. But I desire to be there. This is one of those areas God has shown me that I am going to have to let him work on...believers are commanded to do more than just "get along". He calls us to be united, aiming for perfection, and living in harmony as one body.
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