Parenting Points
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gives the people of Israel a picture of passing their faith down to the next generation. He encourages the people that “these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV). According to Moses, passing on faith to our children involves making the Word central in conversation and on display in our homes. So, what does this look like as we begin 2019?
Parents Must First Connect to God’s Word Themselves. Moses describes the Word being on the hearts of the parents. If you are not modeling a desire for God’s Word and growing in your faith before your children, they will never grow in their own faith. Your kids are looking at you as a model for life, and the importance of modeling “seeking God through His Word” is the most important modeling of all.
Parents Must Be Intentional in Connecting Their Kids to God’s Word. Moses uses the word “diligent.” Those who are diligent have an intentional plan for encouraging their kids to connect to God’s Word. Maybe for your preschooler, this is taking time to read The Jesus Storybook Bible together before bedtime. Maybe this plan for an elementary-aged child is a devotional book that you and your child study together. If you have students, maybe it is connecting them to God’s Word through an audio devotional such as the Engaging the Scripture: Student Devotional Podcast (www.engagingthescripture.com). Whatever this looks like for your family, it is important to have a plan.
Parents Must Connect the Word to Daily Life. Moses mentioned different times throughout the day when parents were encouraged to have faith conversations with their kids. If your children are going to see the importance of God’s Word, it is essential that they see it connected to everyday life. Where are places in your family’s life where you can point to the faithfulness of God? When you pick up your kids from church, what are some questions you could ask about what God taught them through their Bible study? When are moments where you can share what God is teaching you through His Word?
-Dr. Ben Birdsong
Minister of Students, Meadow Brook Baptist
