Week 8 - Deuteronomy 6

For many years, many of us enjoyed “Little House on the Prairie.” In one episode Charles and Carolyn (the father and mother) left their farm on the prairie to travel to Milwaukee for a 25-year high school class reunion. There they discovered that many of their old friends had become wealthy and sophisticated, and they did not fit in well with their high-society friends.

One thing was painfully obvious. These financially, very successful friends were not happy, and their lives were empty. At the end of the program, Charles and Carolyn returned to their little farm where their children ran out of the house and welcomed them with loving hugs. Charles' comment to Carolyn was classic; “Now if that’s not success, I don’t know what is!”

Reread Deuteronomy 6 and one has to see that God views success in terms of loving, godly relationships. Yes, the promise of prosperity is there, but it is in the context of a God-centered, loving family. When a family passes down Godly values for generations, all benefit.

How do you do that? Here are God's instructions: Love Me Fervently, Teach Your Children Diligently, Live in the World Carefully.

#1 – Love Me Fervently

One cannot give what they do not have, so if you want your children to love God, model that love before them. This text speaks of a deep knowledge of God's Word and living out a personal relationship with Him. It is true that children more attention pay to what you do than what you say. It was Paul who said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” This text says, “Children will follow their parents as they follow their God.”

#2 – Teach Your Children Diligently

“Teach diligently” in Hebrew means to sharpen. Your teaching should penetrate your child deeply so that it has an effect on them (NIV translates it “impress”). The idea is to make God’s word central in your life so that you’re thinking about it all the time and constantly talking about it with your kids, applying it to real life situations, impressing it on their lives.

#3 – Live in the World Carefully (vs. 10-19)

Moses warned of the dangers Israel would face and encouraged them to constantly examine themselves and to always do what is right. Ultimately, our children will make their own decisions, but teaching and modeling personal examination and obedience must be a priority in helping them to do the same.

Conclusion:

Do Godly parents make a difference? In 1900, a man studied the descendants of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, the New England revival preacher, theologian, and president of Princeton University. Statistics vary slightly, but over 100 of his descendants became ministers, missionaries, and theological professors. Thirteen were university presidents; at least 65 were college professors. More than 100 were lawyers and judges. More than 60 were physicians. Eighty-six were state senators, three were state governors, three were U.S. Congressmen, one was the Comptroller of the U.S. Treasury, and one became Vice President of the United States.

There is no guarantee of leaving such an impressive legacy, but in our efforts to raise Godly children, we can do our part by loving God fervently, teaching our children diligently, and living in the world carefully.

—David Swanger