THE BIG LIE WE TELL OUR CHILDREN

Parenting is NOT FOR WIMPS!!!  It is a difficult 24/7 job that requires sleeping with one eye open, constantly thinking one step ahead of anything they can imagine and hours on your knees in prayer for wisdom and guidance.  As Christian parents we want to instill Godly values into their world view and it must start at a very young age.  

We teach them to LOVE; God, their siblings, parents, friends, the neighbors and those who may look and act differently then seems normal.  

We teach them RESPECT; respect for themselves, their siblings, friends, parents, neighbors, teachers, and others in authority.  

We teach them BOUNDARIES; boundaries of personal property, boundaries of displays of affection, boundaries of displays of anger and other emotions; boundaries of language and boundaries of appropriate behaviors. 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Don’t forget the TEN COMMANDMENTS…There is only ONE GOD; we shall not make IDOLS or WORSHIP any object other than the ONE GOD; we don’t SWEAR and use the Name of God disrespectfully; we should SET TIME ASIDE TO REST and meditate on the goodness of God; RESPECT AND HONOR OUR PARENTS; we SHOULD NOT KILL, CHEAT ON OUR SPOUSE, STEAL, OR LIE; finally, we SHOULD NOT ALLOW JEALOUSY of others to rule our life.  An excellent basis to establish the character of our children and if we can successfully plant these lessons into their lives, we are off to a very good start.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Of course our BIGGEST CHALLENGE is to not only TEACH these lessons but to LIVE the lessons, each and every day in front of our children’s eyes and ears.  Children who are raised in a God-centered home, hear Dad and Mom pray, give God glory and read His Word are much more likely to embrace the Precious Promises contained in the Word and enter into a personal relationship of their own with God.  Children are “expert mimics.”  If you are ever unsure what lessons your young children are learning, secretly observe them at play.  You will be surprised to hear your words and see clear evidence of your actions as they interact with their siblings, stuffed animals and dolls.  YOU are your child’s most important ROLE MODEL and regardless if it is the role you desired you are partly responsible for their behavior throughout their lives.

BE A ROLE MODEL

Speaking of ROLE MODELS and the TEN COMMANDMENTS, exampling them is the ONLY way to solidify those values into your child’s heart.  You can communicate these most important commands by allowing your child to see you living them and NEVER allowing them to be violated in your life or that of your child’s.   If the clerk gives you too much change or doesn’t charge you for the extra gallon of milk; return the money and pay for the milk…It is NOT a blessing from the Lord and pretending as if no one will notice is STEALING AND LYING!!! By the way someone IS noticing…That precious little boy or girl standing by your side not only NOTICED but just LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON.  Did they learn HONESTY or “you can get by with stealing, lying and cheating, as long as no one knows!”

LYING; there is probably not one Parent and certainly not a Born-Again Parent that would ever admit that they LIE REGULARLY to their Children. But there is ONE LIE that I have observed Christian Parents tell their children over and over…

THE BIG LIE IS THAT GOD LOVES THEM SO MUCH THAT THEIR SINFUL BEHAVIORS AND LIFESTYLE DOES NOT MATTER!!!

I have heard Christian Parents tell their “wayward” child, that since they were baptized and Spirit-filled as a child that “it’s” still in there somewhere and God loves them and they are still His child regardless of the things they are involved in because NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE OF GOD!!! There is just enough TRUTH contained in this statement to be DANGEROUS and didn’t we learn that a “HALF-TRUTH” is really a LIE IN DISGUISE?

TRUTH:  God loves them…. REST OF THE TRUTH:  God’s love is unconditional but SALVATION is conditioned on our FAITH and OBEDIENCE.

TRUTH:  Once we have accepted the SALVATION offered by Jesus’ sacrifice, God will NEVER take it back…REST OF THE TRUTH:  We can WALK AWAY from SALVATION; trample on the sacrifice, “crucify Christ afresh” and neglect this GREAT SALVATION. 

TRUTH:  UNREPENTED SIN will send you to HELL…REST OF THE TRUTH: 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

PLEASE, do not be guilty of telling the BIG LIE to your children by TELLING THEM A HALF-TRUTH!!!  Their eternity may depend on YOUR HONESTY!!!  The MESS your child is dealing with right now may be a result of their sinful choices and behaviors, DON’T COMPOUND the problem by telling them the BIG LIE!!!  What a tragedy to find that you are ENABLING your child’s journey to Hell because of your own DISHONESTY REGARDING THEIR SIN!

TELL THEM THE TRUTH!

God does NOT IGNORE sin and a lifestyle of sin will result in an eternity separated from God.

God loves them and there is no sin that He will not forgive, if they will ask His forgiveness in TRUE REPENTANCE!

The act of TRUE REPENTANCE involves TURNING AWAY from sin, FOLLOWING AFTER God and allowing His Grace and the Power of the Holy Ghost to help you live an OVERCOMING LIFE.

PRAY for them and with them.  Don’t be afraid or hesitant to WALK THE RETURN JOURNEY with them.  Most importantly, SEARCH YOUR OWN HEART and REPENT.

OUR CHILDREN ARE EXPERTS MIMICS!