The Well
The Well |
|
Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Saturday
November 1, 2008
Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don't neglect your
mother's teaching. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and clothe
you with honor.
Proverbs 1:8-9
I've got a question. Have you noticed how our children tend to pick up on the negative traits in our character before they recognize the good? Boy, I have! I think I first began noticing this when my children were toddlers. I thought they would outgrow their demanding little ways, but – oh, well – they only got worse!
It is true – actions speak louder than words. Our children pay attention to our behavior and mimic it! Yes, they mimic our words as well, but are the words they mimic our words of praise? In my opinion; not often enough.
The world has taught us that the old saying, "don't do what I do – do what I say do" is wrong. Well, go back and look at today's scripture again. It is God's purpose for our children to learn what we teach them; which means they will learn from our mistakes as well.
I know a few people who did learn from their parent's mistakes, as well as what their parents taught them. I have noticed that God has indeed clothed them with honor. They are some of the most successful people I know.
Even though some of us are in our thirties and higher, maybe it's time we reflected on what our parents tried to teach us and not on what we observed of them.
Lord, we know that You placed each and every one of us in families or circumstances that we were to learn from. Many of us missed it! We ask You today to please help us right the wrongs in our lives and reflect on the teachings of our parents. We also ask that You would show us how to do this in the lives of our children now!
