A FAMILY HERITAGE

“For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:19).

This past Tuesday would have been my dad’s 85th birthday if he was still living. Since his death almost three years ago, I have often thought about what he instilled in my life. He and my mom (she passed away in 1999) were not perfect by any means (neither are any of their children). However, they did raise six children, all of them Christians. The four who are married have Christian spouses. Almost all of their nine grandchildren are members of the Lord’s body and the three that are married are married to Christians. I am not trying to brag, but mom and dad must have done something right. I would like to share with you a few things they (especially dad) taught us that I believe can help today to raise faithful children.

A Good Work Ethic. Dad was always a hard worker. He quit school in the third grade, the oldest of 10 children, to support the family by working on the farm. As a young man, he went to work in the local cotton mill and worked there a total of almost 50 years. When we were young, he often worked 16 hours a day five or six days a week. I believe one time he went about 10 years without missing a day of work. He was a true believer of Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” He taught that same principle to his children.

Personal Accountability. Since early times man has looked for someone to blame for his mistakes (Genesis 3:12-13). The Scriptures teach that each person is accountable (Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:12). When we messed up, we had to “face the music.” It was not acceptable to place the blame on someone else. One example was our behavior in school. We were told that if we got in trouble at school we would be in trouble at home. In today’s society when a child gets in trouble at school, the parents often blame the teacher. I was talking with someone recently who had received a speeding ticket. Their excuse was “I was going with the flow of traffic. It was wrong for them to stop me and not stop everyone else.” My response was, “Were you speeding?” If so, you deserved the ticket no matter what everyone else was doing.”

Put God First. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). I never remember mom and dad discussing whether or not we would attend church services. It was an accepted fact that if the doors were open, we would be there. Dad’s work schedule was such that he was unable to attend every service, but if he was not working he was there. There are several examples I could give, but one directly involved me. I was 12 years old and playing little league baseball. Our games were always played on Monday and Thursday nights. There was no such thing as having games, or even practice, on Wednesday. The games would usually last about an hour or so. This particular game was against the team we were battling for first place. It was also the week of our gospel meeting. The game went into extra innings. The time for church services to start was drawing near. Dad took me out of the game so we could go to church. I begged and pleaded with him to let me stay, but he would have none of that. Some would say, “It’s only one time. What’s the harm?” However, what message is that sending to our children about priorities? What happens the next time, and the next? What happens when they have to make their own decisions about priorities? I know the lesson my dad taught me, not just that night but every day of his life.

What heritage are you leaving your children?
--Lamar