I don't normally try to re-preach someone else's sermon, but at the risk of sounding like I'm doing so let me share with you a thought that impacted me at last week's FACCS Teacher's Convention. Pastor Kevin Smith from Miami challenged all of us so strongly that I thought I should pass it along to you!
Anyone who has achieved any degree of success has come under the power of a driving truth in his or her life. Those truths are imparted to us through people who, by definition, have helped to shape or mold us. Certainly for all of us there are two groups of people who fall into that category: parents and teachers. Have you ever been around someone who was so passionate about a cause that, when you think of them, you think about their passion? When I think of certain people, I immediately picture them fishing, golfing, playing baseball, etc. depending on who they are because that's what they talk about.
The challenge for all of us as parents is to instill within our children that driving love for God that will cause them to want to please Him. The haunting question is, "Do they see that in us?" The reality is that they will not see a passion that is not there. When put in the light of eternal importance, this is one area that trumps all others, isn't it? Our children will not benefit from our love of sports, fishing, vacationing, or yard work nearly as much as they will by seeing their parents make decisions in light of God's word so that He gets the glory for it.
Perhaps we can boil it down to this: More things are caught than taught. What are our children catching from us? May they see the glory of a holy, omniscient and omnipotent God!
