Saturday, August 30, 2008
2 Timothy 3:15 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for . . . training in righteousness.
USE SCRIPTURE TO TRAIN YOUR CHILDREN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
God gave us His Word for another beneficial purpose: That it might provide instruction in living the kind of life that glorifies our Savior, patterned after His holy example. It is for this purpose that the Lord also calls on parents to train up their children in His Word -- so that, as our children grow up and are confronted by various situations, they may make God-pleasing choices that glorify His name.
A few examples: 1) Johnny is playing with a toy on the floor in the living room. His sister Sally comes over and says: "Can I play with your toy for a while?" Johnny says: "Sure, you can take a turn" (he does this because he remembers how God in love shared with him His Greatest Gift and he wants to show the same unselfish love for others). 2) Josh is playing on the playground at school and a bully calls him a mean name. Josh responds not by calling the bully a mean name in return but ignores what was said (he recalls how Jesus reacted to the insults that His enemies hurled at Him while hanging on the cross, not retaliating but entrusting the matter into His Father's hands.) 3) It's late Friday night. Stephanie is out with friends. She's been instructed by dad and mom to be home by 11:00. Stephanie would like to stay out later, but returns home on time (she remembers the story of the 12-year old Jesus cheerfully obeying His parents; she also knows her parents are God's representatives, given to her for her blessing, and when she shows obedient love for dad and mom, she shows love for her Father in heaven).
What made it possible for Johnny and Josh and Stephanie to make right choices? They were blessed with parents who used God's Word to train them in righteousness as they were growing up. The Holy Spirit used the Bible stories they learned at home, church, and Sunday School to strengthen them in faith and cultivate in them Christlike attitudes and behavior, prompting them to ask: "What would my Father in heaven have me do in this situation? How may I glorify Him?"
