“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
I’ve often thought about how I want my children to be when they grow up. I desire them to be helpful members of society, seeing and contributing to the needs of others around them. My greatest desire for them is to know Jesus as their Savior and live in a way that is pleasing to Him. I pray that their character and actions would reflect Christ so that people would be attracted to their lifestyle (and not put off by hypocrisy!)
At the same time, I’ve been realizing that if I want my children to be this way, I need to be an example to them. My prayer for myself should be to show the love of God to others in word and in deed. I desire to live a lifestyle that is attractive to my children and that reflect’s God’s will for me.
Not only am I a teacher of the truths and commands of God, as the writer of Deuteronomy points out, but I am also a walking example of the Christian faith to my children, whether that example be good or bad!
“Impress them on your children.” The dictionary defines “impress” as “to fix deeply or firmly on the mind or memory”. One of the best ways to impress God’s commandments and truths on our children is to live them out ourselves each day! And when we ask God’s help in revealing to us how we can do this, He will certainly give us wisdom and help in showing ourselves faithful for the sake of our children.
photo credit: Heather/Flickr
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2 Comments on Am I An Example to My Children?
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Thanks so much for reading Brianne! I’ve been out of the groove lately preparing for baby #3 but I’ll start posting again next week!
Saw your blog on a posting of yours in the Above Rubies group. I’m signing up to receive posts. Very encouraging!