What I Heard

When I was a child my Grandpa Miller used a lot of idioms, which is to say he used a lot of figurative language, sometimes vivid and descriptive phrases, to get his point across. A couple of his commonly used phrases were, “Well isn't that just crooked as a dog's hind leg,” and another was; “Now that's just as slick as snot on a Teflon door knob.” His Country or rural phrases are burned into my memories. One of the things my father used to tell me that is burned deep into my memory is; “Don't slouch, throw those shoulders back, son.” This one is so deeply ingrained into me that even now as a 60 year old man, when I am a bit tired and I begin to shrug my shoulders and hang me head, I hear that voice in my head and I look around, then I stand up straight and through my shoulders back. Now I am certain that if you ask my father if he remembers saying this to me, he probably will say, “well maybe I said it once or twice and I am sure it needed to be said,” but I am certain he probably doesn't remember it as vividly as I do! No matter what the truth may, both the figurative language of my grandfather and my father's drill sergeant like orders, “throw your shoulders back son,” are memories I will never out live. I say all that just to ask you, what are you telling your children and your grand children that they will remember even when your dead and gone?

Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

God created the family. His design was for a man and a woman to marry for life and raise children to know and honor Him. Adoption is also God’s idea, and He models this in His adoption of us as His children.

Romans 8:15 ESV For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 

Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.

Regardless of the means by which they enter a family, children are a gift from God and He cares about how they are raised. Several places in Scripture give specific instructions to parents about how to raise their children. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Psalms 103:3 says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.” I could go on all day, but I think you get my point, the bible is filled with instructions on how parents are to be raising their children. God desires that as parents we fill our homes and our children's minds with his truth, and his truth is way better than any book man has ever written.

Psalms 127:3 ESV Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward. 

So what are you teaching and saying to your children? What are they hearing you say? Remember a picture and your actions are worth a thousand words. The real goal of good parenting should be to produce wise children who know and honor God with their lives.