Opus 2012-72, Setting an Example

In one sermon Alistair Begg, shared how he was very grateful to his parents for forcing him to go to church as a child when he did not want to go.  By being forced to go he learned the things he needed to learn and is the person he is today.  Parents might be encourage or corrected by that.  We are to supply them with what they need, not what they want.

It reminds me of an episode in my life.  The church we attended had an evening service.  We, of course, attended.  At one point my father decided he was going to stay home in the evening.  I don’t remember the reasons.  He worked six days a week in hard labor in spite of the fact that he had a bad limp from childhood polio.  Maybe he was just tired.  It didn’t matter.  My brothers and I saw this as an opportunity to pressure my mom into letting us stay home.  We wanted to watch TV.  We wanted to play.  Dad was staying home, why couldn’t we?

To his eternal credit he saw the example he was setting and started attending again in the evenings.  It certainly took the wind out of our sails.

Parents, live as examples.  Your children are watching you.  Other people’s children are watching you.  God is watching you.  It may not be what you want to hear, but it is the truth.

homo unius libri