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Impress Your Children
Brian Mashburn
July 24, 2016
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Impress Children With God
I was driving through my neighborhood this week and passed a young mom with two of the cutest little boys, twins, riding their bicycles with training wheels on the sidewalk. It made me glance over at my passenger seat, where my youngest child was sitting, big enough now to be joining me at the gym to work out. My mind then wandered to my oldest two who are working at a summer camp, my oldest having driven there himself.
All of my elders have told me the same thing concerning children: "It goes so fast." I've noticed that it always comes out of their mouths in the form of a warning, oftentimes with a hint of forlorn, longing, or regret. I've always paid attention to this, strategizing and doing things with my kids "in the present moment" in hopes of avoiding that "something" in these experienced friend's voices and looks that I didn't particularly like.
Alas, some experiences cannot be totally avoided. Some lessons can be spoken of, but not understood without first-hand involvement. One of them is this one: Childhood goes so fast.
Of course, God knows this, so of course, the Bible relays instructions that take this into account. Childhood is the most formative of all the stages of human life. It is trajectory setting. And so, God instructs His community of faith to give special place and attention to the formation of human beings when they are children. Specifically, he says that His ways - that are in your heart - are to be intentionally impressed upon theirs (Deut 6:7).
It is why we have children's and youth ministry. It is why we invest in parents. And whether you are a parent or not, you need to ask the question: Are you doing your part?