“You shall therefore take these words of mine to heart and to soul; and you shall tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. You shall also teach them to your sons, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.”
So many of the values and habits we have come from the way we were raised. We keep our home a certain way, set certain goals, and even fold the laundry based on the experiences we had growing up. Many things in life have been passed down to us from the people that raised us—some consciously and others without any formal teaching. It is not until we get out of the homes we grew up in that we begin to see fully other ways to do things or different values others have.
This passage is a challenge to parents because it speaks to how closely we should hold Scripture and our relationship with God. It should not be something our children only see at church or when we invite our small group over but a reality that is evident in our lives and informs our daily actions. Many times, children only know about God in the context of the church because that is the only setting where they learn about Him. They may pick up on the values of right and wrong we have because of a relationship with Jesus, but do they see Christ at work in us daily? Do they see us walking in a way that values Jesus over everything and longs to know Him more? When we fix our eyes on Jesus, He becomes the one we talk about in our homes, on the road, when we lie down, and when we get up. If He is constantly changing our lives, we will show the next generation the joy of what it means to belong to Him in all we do.
- How does your life give evidence of your relationship with Jesus each day?
- How has your relationship with Jesus changed you?
- Pray and ask God to help you grow in your relationship with Him so that the values and goals you have will honor Him and show the next generation the sweetness of relationship with Him.
