Only for Christian Parents?
Bible Passage: Deuteronomy 6
This is a very famous passage contains so many important instructions including the great commandment to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength. It is also often used for Christian parents… teaching them on how they are to bring up their children in the fear and knowledge of God.
But is it only for Christian parents? What about those of us who are not parents? What about if we are the children?
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; 22 and the Lord showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. 23 Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’
Deuteronomy 6:20-25
I was sharing with some truthseekers about how the Israelites were asked to take 12 stones – one for each tribe – and put them together as memorial stones when they crossed the Jordan to Canaan. And the reason for the stones is so that they can use this as memory joggers for when they have been living long in the land – to remind them of where they came from and what God had done. We too should have our ‘memorial stones’ to remind us in our life of faith of what great things God has done for us.
And in today’s passage, I read a similar reminder. God didn’t want the Israelites to forget where they came from. He didn’t want their children to be ignorant about the slavery their parents and grandparents were delivered from. Remembering how they were saved was key in motivating them to obey, and God wanted that legacy passed down through the generations.
How they are to keep this legacy alive can be found in this chapter.
First, at the beginning of Deuteronomy 6:6-9 we read…
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
We always focus on the teaching to the children part. But today I read a little more into this…
What the people were told was that they are to make the Words of God a part of who they are.
The story of their salvation and God’s will are to be on their hearts.
So how do we start?
We start first by Memorizing them!
Then we have to make it mean something to our children. For those who do not have children, I believe the call is also for us to make it mean something for the people around us everyday.
Our salvation story. How God works in our lives. Our obedience to God’s will. All this should be made know to those around so much so that they cannot escape from it or ignore it. Everywhere they go around us… they will encounter God’s words and ‘see’ Him!
This will depend on how we live our lives.
Lastly, we are to fill our conversations and lives with the stories of God and what He means in our lives. God wants everyone who comes into contact with us be exposed to His words.
Hmmmm….. how near or far away from this standard that God has set for us today?
I am reminded for Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:2…
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
We do not live our lives in isolation. We need to make sure that the story of our salvation and God’s will is preserved y us and passed on to future generations and those around us. And that they too will carry out this work in their lives.
Have we started this yet?