Monday, March 13, 2017
Dan. 9:3-10; Ps. 79:1-9; Lk. 6: 27-38
When your dad is a missionary, you know there’s got to be some faith rub-off effect on the kids. After all, we were stationed in a foreign city, and even though we had Japanese friends, we were a close family. As Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Even though I wasn’t really excited about it (after all, it was more fun to get to school early, hang out with friends, and hope the girls would notice me), Dad made it a point to sit down with my sisters, brother, and me at the breakfast table and read to us from Barclay’s commentaries on the New Testament. I don’t know if he felt many warm vibes radiating back from us kids, but I can attest that even though I may not have shown it then, I was listening and a lot of his teaching did rub off onto me.
I know I didn’t continue the teaching example that my dad set for me. I know I could have done better setting a devotional example for my kids. But, God can work with whatever it is we can give Him. In spite of my shortcomings, our kids have reassured us that even though they are adults, our example and our advice have a significant influence whenever they have a difficult decision to make. (“What would Mom and Dad do?” or “Pray for me, I have a tough day coming up.”)
So, the take-home from this ramble? Don’t ever give up. It’s never too late to play a role in the spiritual development of your kids!
–Bill Oliver