“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.” Deut.
6:6-7
What a challenge these verses are! They speak to an
intentional and regular process of sharing God’s truth with our families and
those closest to us. What strikes me most when I read these verses is the use
of time. Moses is challenging the people of Israel not to simply talk of God in
those special dedicated times that we call “services” or “outreaches.” Instead
Moses is challenging the Israelites to see every part of their day as an
opportunity to speak truth into members of their family.
Usually our days are very busy and we have them scheduled
very tightly. We get a sense of comfort from controlling our schedules and
defining our agendas. It is also much easier not to really think if we are
busy. We can run from activity to event and back again and spend very little
time reflecting on God or on our relationships.
But what happens if we are intentionally being generous with
God’s truth while we walk through daily life? Well, to put it simply, it
changes our hearts and our actions. If we are speaking truth as we do life, we
are speaking truth into those situations and God has a vehicle to teach and
also to help us act more like His son Jesus.
We are novices at doing this, but we are trying. I find
myself looking for examples of God at work during the day and then bringing
those up with our kids. I also integrate teaching time into a simple stop at
the grocery store by purchasing a treat and debriefing the day after the
groceries are purchased but before we run home. We also listen for things on
the radio or in life that might be “teachable moments” that we can use to bring
Godly principles to life.
Looking for those things has changed me. I don’t see a
divide between my spiritual pursuits and my daily activities. Instead I see a
God who is present all around me and weaving His truth into my life. Here are a
few simple things you might do to be generous with God’s truth as you invest in
your families:
1.
Ask your family questions that help them think
about what God has to say about the situation you are dealing with during your
day.
2.
Harness the events of the day and help your
family see how God was at work and what God was teaching you.
3.
Debrief the activities of your day with your
family so that they get the chance to consider what God was doing.
4.
Bring God into your day early through prayer or
comment so that your family can have the right perspective on the activities of
the day.
How can you be generous with what God is doing in your day
as you shepherd your family?
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