Service: Getting to Know the Neighbors

Last week, I spent my vacation surrounded by "gated communities." The condo where I stayed literally was tucked away deep inside one of these communities, a forgotten by-product of the original weekenders who built homes on the lake as respite from the drudgery and distastefulness of the big city. There was one way in and two ways out, but you had to be a card-carrying member of the community to exit from the more convenient gate. Mine was a modest "neighborhood" compared to the others that lay farther up the road, and seriously, there really was only one road in and out. The farther a person drove up the road, the smaller and more exclusive the "communities" became. I didn't know my "neighbors," and they didn't know me!

On my return home, I sat down to review what our kids at church are learning this month. I found it not the least bit ironic that we are going to be discovering what it means to serve - lending a hand to help someone else. Just as last month, the questions put to the kids this month are ones most adults are uncomfortable answering. Just for starters, I had to ask myself two toughies - What in the world am I doing that's more than I have to do, and what am I doing to help someone that others won't help. I'm not the least bit surprised that the Lord's been working on me anyway about being a servant, so this study is just reinforcing the fact that he's trying to get my attention and teach me something!

The Bible is unequivocal about what service looks like for a Christian. We don't have to look any farther than Jesus' life. He is the perfect example of a servant, and we have clear instructions to be like Christ. Too often, though, we are much like a young lawyer who challenged Jesus to define "neighbor" because he was looking for a loophole, a good excuse to serve only folks of his choosing (Luke 10:25-29). Rather than take him to task, Jesus told a parable of a good Samaritan (someone not welcomed in the "gated communities" of Jesus day). Two men - both religious leaders - who should have taken the time to stop and care for a man who had been robbed, beaten, and left for dead, literally crossed the road to avoid coming near the injured man. The third man, the Samaritan, came along, saw the man and "...had compassion on him" (Luke 10:33). He dressed his wounds, placed him on his "beast," and took him to an inn where he paid for the man's care. Jesus then posed the question to the young lawyer, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor..." to the injured man (Luke 10:36). In Matthew 25:35-40, we're told that if we are inherit the kingdom prepared for us, we are to minister to the hungry, thirsty, needy, prisoners, and strangers. Not only are they our neighbors, they are called by Jesus, "...the least of my brethren" (Matthew 25:40).

This parable isn't new to me; I've heard it preached and read it more times than I can count. I think I ought to have it figured out by now who my neighbor is - pretty much everyone, even people I don't find attractive, likable, or safe. When I read it this time, I realized that the Samaritan was compassionate because he saw himself in the man left for dead. Both the priest and Levite saw this man, as well as the Samaritan, as undesirable, not fit for their "community" and certainly not worthy of their help. 

I have to remind myself that all of us are alike - we are sinners saved by the same grace that God gives unconditionally (Ephesians 2:8-9). All of us have been "robbed and beaten" by sin that has left us near dead. God's incredible compassion and mercy made sure that we had a means of rescue - salvation as a result of the service Jesus did for us on the cross. He gave his life that we might live. He paid the full price for our restoration. So, when I look at the people around me, I must be moved to compassion as the Samaritan man was because I should see myself in them. They are my neighbors, and I have a directive from my heavenly Father to serve them. 

Initially, we are drawn to Christianity because of Jesus' example - he was a servant. We are slower, though, to grasp that as followers of Christ, we are to become like him (Ephesians 2:10). We always will serve someone or something (Matthew 6:19-21,24). The desire of our hearts should be, then, to serve in such a way that we honor God by helping our neighbors.

"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men..." Ephesians 6:7

Lord, you know me! You know that going the extra mile and serving people - even ones I know and love - just doesn't come easy to me. You also know that I want to be like you. Thank you for understanding my weaknesses and for giving me so many opportunities to learn to be a servant. I pray that I will allow your Holy Spirit to lead me, prompt me, teach me, and convict me when I am disobedient. Use me, Lord. I want to be your servant. Amen.

Responsibility: Peak Performance

Just last weekend, I got a new phone. I didn't need a new one until the sales person convinced me that I did! I was dazzled by all the incredible features that would be at my fingertips, with download speed far superior to what I had on my existing phone. My connectivity would be enhanced, and I would experience far fewer dropped calls. I'll be the first to admit - I didn't know how handicapped I was! Frankly, my "old" phone could pretty much do what the new one does. I don't notice that things download faster, and since I wasn't really experiencing dropped calls, I guess I don't see much improvement! What hooked me was the possibilities of what I could do if I utilized this piece of technological wizardry to its full potential. Like my old phone, this new one has functions that are truly amazing, but unless I take the time to learn how to use them and perfect my use of them, my phone will simply remain a very powerful, but under-utilized tool.

Those of us who call ourselves Christians are too often not unlike these very powerful pocket-sized computers we carry around - we are designed for "greater works" (John 14:12), but we aren't fulfilling our potential. We know that we have access to connectivity that will empower us to carry out our mission (John 14:13,15-17, 26; John 15:5,7), but we don't always take the time to learn how to access that source to put it to use. 

As our kids at church wind down their focus on responsibility, they are asked to consider, "What in the world am I doing to show others God's goodness." That's a question most of us should ask ourselves, and I have certainly been giving it lots of thought. In fact, God has been making sure I have been reflecting on my own response to the responsibility he's given us as Christians.

In Matthew 5, Jesus doesn't hold back. He tells us what our attitudes should be - the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) - and then follows those by placing on our shoulders the responsibility to be "salt and light" to the world (Matthew 5:13-16). I like his illustration - people don't buy lamps just to hide the light they provide. In other words, we want to get the full potential and peak performance from the lamp. 

Even though I have heard and read these verses many times in my life, I was drawn to the phrasing of the verse about salt - "...but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned..." (Matthew 5:13). What caught my attention was the "it" in the phrase "how shall it be seasoned." I wondered could the "it" refer to the "earth," meaning those who don't know the Lord. Supposing that relationship in wording exists, I was convicted of the responsibility I am shirking when I fail to be "salt and light." If we as Christians fail in tapping into and utilizing the resources we've been given so that we operate to our fullest potential, we are not accomplishing our commission. We may function on a basic level, but we are far from the dynamic power-tool God designed us to be.

I have been reflecting lately on the notion that as Christians we have one priority - to serve God by serving others, thus making disciples. When we allow the Holy Spirit to activate that service through us, we bring honor and glory to Him. Others will "...see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). 

God must have known that we really aren't very good at multitasking. He asked one thing of us, and he promised to take care of the rest. Jesus knew the people hearing his "Sermon on the Mount," and all that followed, must have been a bit skeptical. Just as we are, they were most concerned with the day-to-day realities, not with learning how to be "salt and light." But here's what he promises: "...your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:32-33). 

For me, putting first things first is going to be a discipline, an act of faith, but if I believe that God is who he claims to be, then I must trust that if I allow him to use me in service to others, he will make sure that I have whatever he knows I need. I have a responsibility to allow the Holy Spirit to activate fully the functions I've been given to do the work to which I've been called. I want to be working at peak performance! 

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much...." Luke 16:10

Heavenly Father, on paper, the responsibility seems so simple. Putting it into action isn't when I take on jobs you haven't given me to do! Please help me to keep my priorities straight and trust you to take care of everything! Help me to be "salt and light." I want to be counted faithful. In your name, amen.

Parenting - Being a Friend Like Jesus

Our children at church are learning what it means to be a friend like Jesus. The operating definition is "Friendship: Spending time with someone you trust and enjoy." They will be learning, through the Easter story, how Jesus befriended his disciples and followers. 

The first two lessons teach that a friend loves no matter what and a friend helps you believe. Truly Jesus proved he loved no matter what by taking upon himself the sin of every human being and dying on the cross. He taught his followers that he would die but that he would rise again. He spent time showing them who he was - the Son of God, the Messiah - but, even Peter who walked on the water with Jesus had difficulty wrapping his head around the idea that Jesus would rise from the dead! Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was alive and insisted on seeing the wounds before he'd believe.

When I read the stories of how the people who knew Jesus best reacted when he appeared to them after his resurrection, I have to chuckle. I wonder if Jesus ever wanted to say, "Well, duh! I told you no grave could hold me! Didn't you believe me!" Instead, he patiently revealed himself to them again and again before commissioning them to be witnesses to the world (Mark 16:14-16). He loved them no matter how frustrating they were in their unbelief, and he took every effort to ensure that they did believe.

Jesus sets the bar high for being a friend! I don't mind being with people as long as they are enjoyable and trustworthy! It's when they start being problematic that I want to cut and run. Yet, Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times, and is born, as is a brother, for adversity," and we are to lay down our lives for our friends (John 15:13). But Jesus's kind of friendship goes beyond how we treat people we like. We're told it's nothing special to show love to people we love; the real deal is when we love those who aren't so easy to love (Luke 6:27-35). That's the example of friendship Jesus set for us to follow.

I recall the words to an old worship chorus that says, "To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus; All I ask, to be like Him...." When I put into context what that lyric is saying, I wonder if I could sing it and really mean it. If I want to be like Jesus, and I do, then I'm going to have to work on my friendship skills! Thankfully, Jesus patiently teaches me to be a friend by loving me no matter what and helping me to believe. He treats me the way he expects me to treat others.

As we seek to be like Jesus, he will give us opportunities to develop the deep love for others that will enable us to be "...a friend that sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).


Lord, thank you for being our friend. In a world where we sometimes feel friendless, we know that you are our faithful, loving friend. Thank you for the example you have set for us. You haven't asked us to do anything that you won't equip us to do, so Lord, please give us the strength and the grace to be a friend to everyone - no matter what. In your name, Amen.

Parenting - Exposing the "I'm Only Hurting Myself" Myth

Every day I see the fall-out from parents who have somehow convinced themselves that the lies they are telling themselves about the way they are living life won't hurt anyone other than themselves. I know young people who don't believe they are worth anything because they've been abandoned by their parents. Some of them are raising themselves because their parents are self-absorbed and choosing to satisfy their own desires rather than be a parent. A few of them have no place to call home because their parents are nowhere to be found, and then there are the ones who have every material thing and "opportunity" they want because parents have chosen to "buy them off" to excuse their guilt. Whatever the case, the kids are broken and hurting, and mom and dad are responsible regardless of what they may tell themselves.

Before I get too self-righteous about what other parents do to their kids, I have to admit that I failed too. While I invested heavily in the well-being and spiritual development of my children as they were growing up and as they suffered through a divorce at ages nine and eleven, my daughters saw their mom choose to "do life my way" for a season. We don't have to talk about it for me to know they were hurt by my lapse in living true to how I raised them. The bottom line is this - none of us can lie and think we're only hurting ourselves. That's not how it works!

Genesis 37:17-36 is the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers and their subsequent lie to cover up their evil. Before they ever "did the deed," they had hatred in their hearts for Joseph (Genesis 37:4). This grew in their hearts making the conspiracy against him an easy transition. The brothers settled for making money off the sale of Joseph to slave traders. Then they had to come up with a lie to tell their father Jacob, and in the moment, I'm sure they believed they would never be "found out."

That's how these things work. Something starts to grow in our hearts, takes root, and then when the opportunity presents itself, we take action thinking we won't hurt those we love the most. Sometimes we're foolish enough to think we won't even hurt ourselves (Isaiah 44:20). The Bible says our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). We don't set out to intentionally hurt our children, ourselves, or others we love, but we do.

Rarely, when we're in the moment of conspiring to do wrong do we count the cost. We don't stop to consider what one lie will cost us and those we love. We do the wrong thing, and then try to find a way to cover it up. The truth always comes out, though, and sometimes it is revealed in ways we can't predict.  

Joseph's brothers came face-to-face with the "big reveal" when they sought help in Egypt during a time of famine. They discovered their brother alive and well and in the position to be their deliverer or their  executioner (Genesis 42). Eventually, the brothers had to tell their father Jacob that Joseph was alive and well and living in Egypt. Their evil was turned to good; God placed Joseph where he could help his family when they needed him most, and He brought Joseph back together with his father (Genesis 45:25-28; 46:29-30).

There are consequences, natural outcomes, of what we choose to do or not do, but thankfully, we have a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He provides a way of salvation (Psalm 50:22-23). He calls us to repent, to turn from our wrongdoing (I John 1:9-10; Acts 3:19). The consequences of sin don't go away just because we repent, but He restores us to himself and sets us on the right path again and will lead us in making restitution.

We are responsible for dealing with the consequences and for making restitution to those we've hurt. Just as Joseph's brothers couldn't give back what they had taken away from Jacob and Joseph, we alone can't restore what we have taken from ourselves and from those we love, but God can! He will provide the healing, strength, and wisdom we need to do the right thing. He has a plan to make something whole and beautiful out of the brokenness (Psalm 147:3; II Corinthians 5:17-21).


Lord, I admit that I have failed you. I decided to take my own path and that hurt you, people I love, and myself. Thank you for forgiving me and restoring me to you. I know that you can take the messes we make and turn them into something beautiful, that you will heal the hurts and make all things new, and that you can use us to help others. You don't leave us alone to make restitution. 

Heavenly Father, we pray that you will shine your light of truth into our lives, reveal any deception that may be there, and cause us to turn full-face into you. Give us the courage to face those we've hurt, to admit our wrongdoing, and seek their forgiveness. Direct us through your Holy Spirit. 

Thank you, Lord, for your perfect healing. 

 

Parenting - "Friending" Jesus

If you have a Facebook presence, you understand the term "friending." I have learned that who my friends are and what they say on their own wall may reflect on me. I also know that what I put on my wall says a lot about who I am and what I believe. 

Long before we had Facebook and other virtual social networks, we learned that we needed to be careful who our friends are. Our parents cautioned that we might become "like them," so we needed to choose friends who would be a good influence over us. I hate to admit it, but they were right! In fact, the apostle Paul cautions in I Corinthians 15:33, "...bad company corrupts good character." We do tend to become like the people with whom we closely associate.

In Matthew 16:13-17, Jesus is with his disciples and asks them what people are saying about him. Some folks of the day thought he was John the Baptist or one of the prophets, but when Jesus asked his disciples who they believed him to be, Peter spoke up and declared, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Peter, a "close associate" of Jesus, had friended Jesus, and the Heavenly Father revealed the true nature of Jesus to him. 

The result of Peter's friendship with Jesus had greater influence than the fisherman ever imagined the day he decided to follow Christ. Jesus dubbed Peter the Rock upon which he would build his Church, a church so powerful that "...all the powers of Hell will not conquer it" (Matthew 16:18-20).

Here's what happens when we decide to friend Jesus - our lives are transformed forever! We acknowledge that we need Jesus as our Savior, and this is the first change that takes place. This was Peter's first step - God revealed to him his need for the Messiah in his life. It changed his direction for all eternity. 

The evidence of the transformation comes as we become intimate in our relationship with our Friend. We begin to talk about him, want to spend time with him, be like him. II Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when we enter into this relationship, "...The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" What once defined who we are is transformed; we are influenced. As Peter entered more deeply into knowing Jesus, he became more of who he was intended to be. The brash, impetuous Peter who proclaimed that he'd never deny Christ and who chopped off the ear of Malthus was shaped into the Apostle Peter, the church-builder, boldly preaching the Gospel, led by the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit. This Peter who turned fearful and disloyal on the night of Jesus's crucifixion became courageous for Christ and died a martyr for the Gospel.

When we start hanging out with Jesus, we find our "real selves." He begins the transformation process "re-shaping" us into who we were created to be. He shapes us to serve him. We are called to be "salt and light" to our world (Matthew 5:13-14). Jesus proclaimed that Peter and people like him are the Church that can't be destroyed. He declared, "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). We become the Church with power to serve! 

Heavenly Father, we desire to be so intimate with you that our lives will be transformed, that we will be "salt and light" to those around us, that we will be the Church. Our prayer is that of the Psalmist: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14) so that others may come to know you. Fill us to overflowing with more of You and less of ourselves. May we take on your character and be more like you. In your name we pray these things. Amen.

Parenting - Strength Training: More Than a New Year's Resolution

I'm a regular at the YMCA, and I run. When January 1 rolls around every year, I know that we "regulars" are going to be in competition for our favorite machines and weights with the "new year resolution crowd." I also know that in a few weeks the interruption to my routine will have ended because many of the "newbies" will have "grown weary in well-doing." I too have to guard against the temptation to slack off because I am certain that as soon as I fail in my faithfulness to my fitness routine, I will become one of those who "grow weary" and lose the resolution to stay strong.


Being a Christian, requires "strength" training 24/7, 365 days of the year. We aren't able to let down our guard or become lazy. Following Christ requires that we not go on "auto-pilot." We are running a race that has an eternal prize for those who run to win (I Corinthians 9:24-27). It's when we are out of condition, when we are weak, that stuff happens.  


Before Jesus launched his public ministry, he was led into the wilderness by the Spirit and tested by Satan (Luke 4:1-13). Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights before the Devil tempted him with 3 propositions. Satan taunted Jesus, in his weakened physical state, telling him that if he really were God's son he should command the stones to become bread. When Jesus didn't succumb, the Devil tried twice more to trap Jesus by suggesting he jump from a high place, since the angels would save him, and that Jesus could possess all the kingdoms of this world if he would worship Satan. In all three situations, Jesus resisted the temptations and defeated the Devil at his game by quoting God's word.

Jesus "stayed strong" when Satan confronted him. For every temptation that the Devil threw at him, Jesus refuted him with Truth, but Jesus didn't enter this time of testing unprepared. Luke 4:1 says he went into the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit; he was led there by the Spirit. He wasn't alone, and he wasn't without strength and endurance when he was tired and weak from not having eaten for 40 days and nights and from the Devil's tests.

We too are tested, and generally the "big tests" come when we are in our most weakened state. The Devil knows our "soft spots" and attacks. He isn't necessarily blatant but is more inclined to twist truth or to use subtlety, just as he did in testing Jesus. He manipulated scripture. This is the way Satan works. It's the tactic he used with Eve in the Garden, and he's still successfully using his methods on us today.

If we are to stand firm in our confession of faith in times of strength and weakness, here are some things we need to know:

• Anyone wanting to live a godly life will be persecuted (II Timothy 3:12). We must be prepared for what is inevitable. Satan isn't content to leave us alone once we determine to live for Christ. He's looking for company to share his eternity (I Peter 5:8). He may promise what the human ego craves - fame, fortune, power - but it comes with a very high price and the rewards are short lived.
• We have Truth on our side, and we must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us discernment to recognize Truth from the Devil's lies. Paul reminds Timothy that some people will look for teachers to feed them "spiritual junk food" but to not be distracted by what is false (II Timothy 4:3-4). 
• The Holy Spirit is with us to teach us and help us to remember God's word (John 14:26; Luke 12:12). God has provided a Helper, the Holy Spirit, for all times of our lives; we have to do our part, though, and study God's word and hide it in our hearts so that when we are being tempted or are going through difficult times, the Holy Spirit can cause us to remember it.
• We have a strong defense, but it's our responsibility to prepare. Ephesians 6:12-18 (The Message) puts it this way:

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. 

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

As we set out to begin a new year, we must determine and stay true to that resolve to be strong in our walk with the Lord. Our strength comes from the Lord (Philippians 4:13), and we are "conquerors" (Romans 8:37).

Heavenly Father, thank you for providing all we require to "live strong" in our walk with you. I pray that we will be diligent in spending time with You, in learning your word, and in putting it into practice in our lives. As we live out our faith, let our children and all with whom we interact see You at work in and through us. May they learn dependence upon You and see your faithfulness to us in how we live our lives. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

 

Parenting - Giving Your Children Away

If you're the parent of a 13-year old or a teenager, you may have had days where giving him or her away seemed like a really good idea! It's a lovely age, but thankfully, almost all of us have lived through it - as a kid and as a parent! Seriously, though, most of us couldn't imagine giving our children away. It's hard enough when they leave home for college. Yet, the Bible tells a story of a woman who gave her child away before he was ever born. It's the story of Hannah, Samuel's mom.

Hannah was the second wife of Elkanah, and she had no children. The first wife had kids, and she wasn't exactly empathetic with Hannah's sorrow; in fact, she was mean. Elkanah loved Hannah and favored her. He didn't seem the least bit upset that she hadn't produced progeny. But, Hannah wanted a baby so much so that when the family made their annual trip to the house of the Lord, she "wept bitterly" before the Lord, promising if God would give her a son that she would give him back, as soon as he was weaned, to serve God all the days of his life. Eli the priest saw her praying and accused her of being drunk. When she set him straight and explained her "complaint" before the Lord, Eli sent her away with these words, "...and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition...." Hannah ceased from her grieving, she ate, and her countenance was no longer sad (I Samuel 1:18). Her actions imply that she had faith that God would answer her prayer.

Sure enough, Hannah had a son, Samuel, and she kept her part of the bargain. As soon as Samuel was weaned, Hannah put together all the makings for a great offering to the Lord, packed up Samuel, and headed to the temple and Eli, the priest. They worshiped the Lord, and she left her son to serve God all his life.

Okay, really, how many of us could leave behind our toddler to be raised by a stranger? But Hannah's prayer to the Lord as she's leaving Samuel behind is amazing! She was rejoicing:

I'm bursting with God-news! I'm walking on air. I'm laughing at my rivals. I'm dancing my salvation.
^2-5 Nothing and no one is holy like God, no rock mountain like our God.

Every year, Hannah would make the journey with the family and take Samuel a new coat, and no where is there any indication that she ever regretted or wanted to break her covenant, and God, in His beautiful way, honored Hannah by giving her five more children.

Samuel had a calling on his life. From before his birth, he was dedicated to the Lord, and as soon as he was old enough to be separated from his mother, he was "in training" for that moment when God would call him into service.

I Samuel 2 tells how the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli the priest, that he grew before the Lord, and found favor with both the Lord and men. Interestingly, this was happening while all around him Eli's sons, who were of the priesthood, were dishonoring God and bringing down His judgment on their family.

When the time came for Samuel to fill the purpose for which he had been called, he was ready.

Most of us dedicate our young children to the Lord, but I wonder if we realize the full importance of that ceremony. I'm not sure I did when we dedicated our girls before the church congregation. I understood it was a solemn and sacred occasion, I knew that I wanted my girls to belong to the Lord, but I am certain I didn't reflect as deeply on the full meaning of my actions.

When Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord, she wasn't just giving her child away and placing responsibility for his nurturing on someone else. She invested in the life of her child to ensure that he would be ready to answer when God called and would respond willingly. She remained faithful to her God and to her promise and demonstrated her commitment by placing Samuel where he would learn from a young age how to serve God and how to know His voice. She believed God to do His part.

When we dedicate our children to God, we aren't just saying, "God, here they are. I promise to bring them to church and teach them right from wrong." We are entering a covenant with God to teach them to know Him and how to serve Him, to learn to sense His presence and to know His voice, to understand from an early age that they have a calling on their lives and that at the God-appointed moment, He will call them.

God will do His part; we must do ours. Giving our children away to God may mean giving up our plans and purposes. It certainly requires that we choose to live our lives sacrificially and according to God's Word because we are the stewards of the children we have dedicated into His service.

Heavenly Father, parenting is a sacred calling, and when we stop to think about the full weight of the responsibility, it's a little frightening. But, You are our example, your Word is our standard, and your Holy Spirit is our teacher and guide. You don't call us without equipping us for service.

As we dedicate our children to You, we want to dedicate ourselves as well and be willing to be sacrificial in serving our children. Let us be like You.

We pray these things, in your name. Amen.

Parenting - Imprinting God's Character

I admit that sometimes what I read and what I see make me want to jump on my nearest soapbox and deliver my fiercest "what are you thinking" speech at the top of my lungs! But, then I realize I'd be wasting my breath! Who listens to a crazy person!

This week I read of some fabulous new technology for all those folks who want to give their children a head-start in their education and who also prefer to give birth to "calm" infants, ready to learn (New devices aim to help babies start learning before birth, Wichita Eagle, October 6, 2009). First, I have rarely seen a healthy infant who isn't born ready to learn; that's how God created us. Second, who deserves a "calm" infant! Babies are supposed to cry when they need and want something, and parents are supposed to respond appropriately so that over time, those babies learn to manage their needs independently (I think that's about the time when we send them off after they graduate from high school).

We seem to live in a time where our desire to "play God" is growing more apparent, and while our attempts to "be God" don't work, "playing God" with the development of our children scares me. Human beings are genuinely "fearfully and wonderfully made"; the human body is so magnificently complex that our tinkering with it, seemingly to enhance what God has already perfectly designed, is hubris of the most frightening kind.

Yet, we do have direction in how to influence the development of our children. Throughout the Bible, we are instructed to be "like Christ," to set the example for others, including our children, so they too will want to become followers of Christ. We are given a "best practice" through God's direction to the children of Israel to write His commandments on our own hearts and get them inside the hearts of our children; these are to be on-going "teachable moments" throughout every day, from sunup to sundown (Deuteronomy 6:7).

God made no mistakes when He designed the way we develop and learn - from conception to death. In fact, the reason we might be tempted to expose our unborn children to these new "teaching devices" is because from week 18 of their lives, they can hear mom's voice and activity going on inside and outside the womb. God made this possible for all kinds of reasons we and medical experts may or may not know, but we can be sure, there is divine purpose.

In John 10:27, Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." He follows this by saying that he gives his sheep eternal life, that they will never perish, and no one can snatch His sheep from Him (John 10:28-29).

If a shepherd starts to imprint the sound of his voice on sheep from the earliest possible moment so they will follow him, the implications for us as parents is evident. From the very beginning of the lives of our children, they should hear us praying; they should experience the sounds of what it means to be in God's presence and among His people. Once they are born, their learning curve zooms, and that's when we begin to tell them and show them every moment of every day who God is and how He loves them. Just as our Shepherd leaves His imprint upon us, we must develop a godly imprint upon our children so that when they are old enough to make their own decisions (or at least think they are old enough), they will listen to and obey that familiar voice (Proverbs 22:6).

Children do respond to their environments and to the voices of those around them before they are ever born. They are sponges, absorbing all kinds of experiences; they are "learning machines." If we want to give our children a real "edge" on life, let's plug them into Jesus earlier rather than later. Let's develop our own character so that we reflect Jesus to them, and let's imprint them with a desire to know Him from an early age. It's never too early to teach a child who Jesus is.

Lord, the way You have created us is truly amazing. Your intricate design is beyond our ability to comprehend and recreate. You are God, and we are not, and for that, I am ever grateful.

Thank you for giving us our children. Please place in our hearts an urgency to teach them who You are from a young age and lead them to a relationship with You.

Put in us an understanding of the critical role we play as parents, grandparents, and people in the lives of children in ensuring that they know You and that their "education" can't be left to "chance"; we must diligently lead them to You.

We ask for your wisdom and guidance as we grow in You and as we lead our children.

Thank You, Lord. Amen.