“In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’
“Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand. The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our ancestors. And the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.’” (Deuteronomy 6:20-25)
As Christian parents, we all want our children to be obedient to God’s word and follow His ways. From their earliest days, we teach them right from wrong. We show them with our words and with our actions how we want them to conduct their lives. It is right and good that we should do so. In fact, scripture clearly explains that God expects us to. (See the example of Lois and Eunice who taught Timothy the ways of the Lord.)
However, unless we want our lists of rules to become a burden that children will rebel against at the first opportunity, we need to teach them WHY following God’s ways are so important. The fact that God gave us this message through Moses shows us that He knew from the beginning that children are bent to sin and would need an explanation. And His instruction is brilliant in its simplicity… tell them your story.
It doesn’t matter how dramatic or commonplace your testimony is, we ALL are sinners who need the grace of Jesus. And therefore we all have a story to tell. We were once dead in sin and the Lord gave us new life. We were lost and now are found. And it is out of love and gratitude for the One who saves that we choose to obey. We willingly choose to lay down our lives and pick up His cross daily so that our lives will point others to Him. And walking in obedience to Jesus brings more blessing and goodness into our lives than we could ever have apart from Him. Following Him leads to a life rich in beauty, joy, love, and peace.
Tell your children why you choose to walk in obedience to Christ, and they will be more willing to choose His ways for themselves. And having your children walk with the Lord? Well, there is no greater joy than that!
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