Live on Purpose

So Wednesday I challenged you to think about your walk with Christ SO THAT you can minister to those in your care.

I will admit that discipling our kids is a hard job. I don’t know why. Something seems weird about sitting down and reading the Bible or praying. We probably feel inadequate most of time so we decide to leave our kids spiritual lives to the church. We say “they will teach them that at church…”

Let me tell you, though, that the role of the church is to support and enforce what you are teaching your children. After all, they spend about 2 hours at best at the church each week and the rest of their time is spent with YOU!

So how do you invest?

Start young! The younger they are when you start, the easier it will be to continue. BUT it is NEVER TOO LATE TO START. I mentioned that as young as I can possibly think back I can recall my parents sitting on the edge of my bed reading a devotional with me and praying before I went to sleep.

Stay at it! This was a pattern that would continue until I became “of beard.” Probably around 11-12 the devotional time shifted to mom doing a devotional with me every morning and praying with me before I went to school.

I will say, I had some struggles with that on occasion as a teen because I didn’t want to get up or say a prayer or whatever but boy do I remember it and I certainly believe it kept me on a trajectory toward Christ.

Start over! Don’t be discouraged if you miss time doing it. Simply start again. Nichole and I used to read the Bible with our kids when they were little and honestly there were times when life got in the way. We were traveling, they were spending the night somewhere or homework was being done. Just because there is a hiccup doesn’t mean it is over. Get back at it.

Share your journey! Following Jesus by faith is a walk. It is not a one time thing. Allow your kids to see your faith in action. Let them serve with you. Let them see how you respond in faith to difficulty. Be honest with them when you don’t get it right (that has great benefits too). Let them be a part of your walk with Christ.

You can’t give them your faith, but you can make your faith in Christ so attractive that they want it!

You see, the Great Commission is our calling as we follow Jesus. We are told to go into all the world and make disciples. That starts at home. Give your kids or those in your life what you have! Give them Jesus!

Live on Purpose!