A few months ago, I heard David Horner, from Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC give a powerful and insightful illustration. He said that he was looking back at pictures from when his children were younger and noticed a theme. In each of the pictures at least one of the family members in the picture had a North Carolina Tar Heels shirt. He said that picture after picture had someone in the family sporting their favorite college team. Why was UNC so prominent in the pictures? Because the Horner family valued the Tar Heels.
What we value shows up around us...and our children will be watching and imitating us. I think often about what my children see their daddy valuing, loving, and worshipping. Am I more passionate about Tennessee football (which is my favorite college team...though they were horrible this year!) or am I more passionate about seeing those in our neighborhood come to know Jesus as their Savior. Am I more passionate about golf or family time? Am I more passionate about work and answering my cell phone or am I willing to let the phone ring and read to my girls while I'm home? When I am home am I "all home" or is part of my brain still carrying works burdens and stresses? Do my kids see that I love God's word or sports more?
These are all questions I carry and areas I assess. Many times I have failed, but by the kindness and mercy of God, I have also seen fruit of proper passions in my family. It reminds me of the third verse of "Come Thou Fount."
O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy
goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord,
I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
May God grant us the humility to evaluate our lives according to His standards.
0 comments:
Post a Comment