The Best Thing You Can Give Your Kids!

The Best Thing You Can Give Your Kids!

All of us want to give our children a fighting chance in life. In fact, we want better; we want them to succeed. Often this well-meaning sentiment is misguided. We parents begin filling our children’s lives with things, lessons, and classes to ensure they fit in and do well. The problem is, in a troubled culture, this strategy backfires on us. Our culture has become godless; so trying to fit in can be harmful. The Apostle Paul foretells the shocking cultural conditions in the last days. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. (2 Timothy 3:1–5, ESV)

In these sobering verses three things immediately stand out: 

• The godless culture around us and in the church will worsen (3:1-9).
• The godly example of Paul is worthy of example (3:10-13). 
• The key to godliness in a godless environment is attention to Scripture (3:14-17). 

 As we seek to honor God and Jesus in our own day, what can we learn from this passage about how to secure our children in the faith? Invest a few minutes meditating on the following verses from 2 Timothy 3. These verses contain the Apostle Paul’s teaching on how to stop ungodliness from creeping into your life, your children’s lives, and the church.

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:10–17, ESV)

What is the best thing you, as parents and grandparents, can give your children? It’s not what you may think. Although education, affirmation, and opportunity are all important, they are not most important. The most important thing you can give your children is a profound love for reading the Bible. Consider what the Apostle wrote about this, 

1. The example of parents and grandparents who have a firm belief and everyday reliance upon Scripture (vs. 15-17; 1:4-7) can change the course of a child’s life. 

2. A home-life that is saturated, regulated, and elevated – filled with the joyful use of Scripture (vs. 15-17; 1:4-7) leads to salvation. 

3. Consistency through hardship and toil being confident in the outcome of obeying Scripture – “faith parenting” (3:14) will give children the wisdom of Scripture. 

Will you rearrange your priorities, your schedule, and your finances to reflect this belief? If you sow the seed of the Word in their lives, you will see the fruit in years to come, just as Timothy’s mother and grandmother did. 

Love you all in Christ, 

Pastor Scott