“Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’” Jeremiah 35:18-19
Before looking at the next generation and placing judgement on what you see, take a look in the mirror and see what you’re doing to lead them well.
How are you acting? What decisions are you making? Are you being faithful to God? Are we loving others well? Are we helping those in need? Are we walking in the ways of the Lord or are we dancing with the waves of the world?
The generations that are following us (in some cases our own children) are watching every move we make. They are making decisions and creating actions by what they see.
If you’re worried about the marriages to come but your children don’t see you fighting for your marriage the likelihood of them fighting for theirs is minimal. If you think the faith community is dwindling but you don’t make church a priority in your family – why would your children grow up to go to church?
God told the Rekabites that because of their faithfulness they would always have someone that would serve the Lord. He told the Israelites that their children and their children’s children would always have a place in the land he was giving them if they remembered what He did for them in Egypt and the wilderness and talked about it and taught as they go.
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Deuteronomy 4:9
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.” Deuteronomy 11:18-21
Everyday I have to tell my kids to do certain things, but if I didn’t do them myself, the chance of these things sticking is minimal. It’s called leading by example, servant leadership, and scripture declares that we are to lead the next generation well. Why do my kids read their Bibles? Not because I tell them to, but Because they see my husband and I do it. Why do they want to help when they see a need? Because they’ve seen broken hearts healed and that’s how they’ve seen us lead.
What are you doing that will be a reflection to the next generation? Choose your daily words and actions thinking about them.
Running 2 Fly 