Like Father, Like Son
When I look in the mirror, I see my resemblance to my father. He was about the same size as me, so I wear some of his clothes. When I walk, I walk like he walked. I even cough like he did when I clear my throat. However, the ways that I learned from him are more important than my physical attributes. He taught me to work hard and to be responsible. He took his family to church in his community, because he said, "If you want a church in your community, you need to attend it and support it." I am glad I followed his example in so many ways.
King Jotham was no different from me and most of us boys. (II Kings 15:34) He did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done. That was good, as far as it went. However, just like his father he did not destroy the pagan shrines, so people still offered sacrifices there. We need to learn a great lesson from this as parents, both fathers and mothers. We need to be diligent to try to make sure that our children become even more godly and righteous than we have been in our lives.
As parents, our children need to see that we have a daily walk with God that is real and personal. We need to do more than to just take them to church. They need to see that we have a place to meet with the Lord each day, and they need to see us in that place talking with God and reading His Word. We need to have family devotions with them, and we need to do what we can to raise each one according to his or her needs, not just in general things. It is up to us to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, as the Bible commands us to do.
Now, if we have adult children, we still need to be a positive influence on them for the Lord. We need to pray for them and their families in very specific ways. We need to communicate with them about their needs, so we know how to pray. Of course, we need to treat them like adults when we do that, treating them with respect. If they need encouragement or correction, we need to speak the truth in love, so God can use our words to direct them well. Those are some ways to lead our children to be more godly that we have been.
#NHBaptistdotorg
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Kings 16-18.