July 15, 2010
Last week I shared with you that Jesus followed very effective leadership development principles in his work with the disciples that can effectively apply to the upbringing of our children and grandchildren. I suggested that Jesus trained his followers with teaching, correcting, personal modeling, and providing hands-on opportunities for trial and error, as well as evaluation. We looked at teaching, with an understanding that godly principles should be a part of everyday discussion. Too often, spiritual teaching is sequestered away from daily living, so the principles being taught are not viewed by the children as pertaining to their daily actions and attitudes. God wants us as responsible adults to abound in providing “teachable moments” for our children. We also looked at correction as a necessary opportunity for recognizing error and finding effective ways to avoid it in the future. Teaching what is right and correcting what went wrong are essential partners, and the Lord used them on a regular basis with the 12.
Today I want to examine more carefully “personal modeling.” By that I mean demonstrating in your own attitudes and actions, ethics and choices, what it means to be sold out for the Kingdom of God. As a parent, you are being watched, and copied! Jesus was more than merely a talker with his followers, he actively demonstrated his teaching with day-to-day living. Instead of just declaring people’s worth, he took children up in his arms and had conversations with Samaritan women. Instead of just teaching that divine power existed, the disciples were able to watch demons defeated and storms stilled. Rather than just talking about God’s compassion, they were witnesses to healings and feedings. As a parent, you should be ready to demonstrate with your daily living the meaning of godliness that you desire to see in your sons and daughters.
Jesus also allowed the disciples to try out ministry for themselves. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes it did not, but the learning gained from hands-on opportunities for responsibility and ministry to be demonstrated cannot be taught by even the most gifted instructor. As a parent, make opportunities for your child to demonstrate compassion for others. Allow them to be intercessors and ministers, using their child-like faith to honor their Lord. Give them planned opportunities to do the work of the Kingdom, not to earn salvation, but to demonstrate it. In years to come, those are the experiences they will remember.
Finally, do not shrink back from joining your children in evaluating their experiences. Too often we allow opportunities to think carefully and consider to pass us by, without gaining from our day’s challenges all that God would have for us to learn. Train your children to look back over what adventures they have had with God, and see more clearly the direction that they need to go tomorrow. Jesus often came to his disciples later, after a parable was shared with the crowd, and in private asked, “do you know what this means?” We would do well to imitate that kind of evaluation and follow-up.
Our broadcast today was sponsored by friends of Heartland who urge you to consider Heartland Christian Academy for your children in the 2010-2011 school year.