TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE

DEVOTIONAL

by Elder Chris Beltran

The family is where the greatest battles of spiritual warfare occur daily. Whoever controls the minds would be in control of the person. Our passage today reminds us of the importance of discipling our family. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Psychology agrees with the Bible.” 

A social media post states that psychology points out the eight reasons why parents are responsible for their children becoming criminals

1. A father who gives his son everything he asks. The child will grow up thinking he is entitled to everything he wants without the need to earn it. 
2. A father who laughs when his son speaks profanity. The child will grow up thinking disrespect is normal and funny. We see in the NBA finals where the crowd is chanting profanities in front of their children. 
3. A father who does not rebuke bad behavior. The child will grow up thinking there are no rules in society.
4. A father cleaning up his son’s mess. The child will grow up thinking that others can take their responsibilities.
5. Parents who let kids watch TV, social media, Netflix, or gadgets without setting limits because the child cries and screams without it. They will grow up thinking that adults and children have no limits or differences.
6. Parents who let their children listen to music that vulgarizes women, incites sex without commitment, and violence. We don’t even have to say what that kid will be like next, do we?
7. Parents who give money to their children when they want. They’ll grow up thinking money is easy to make and won’t hesitate to do anything when they can’t get it.
8. Parents who always favor their children, regardless of whether they are right or not. Children grow up with zero tolerance for frustration—parents confront and threaten school officials for disciplining their child’s misbehavior. 

We see the value of discipling and teaching our children with God’s word in Deut. 6:5–9. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

It should not just be one time, or just teaching with words and lectures, but a lifestyle teaching, modeling as lessons are easily caught than taught. What kind of model am I to my family? 

REFLECTION

The main instructor for spiritual growth, moral values, character development, and others are the responsibility of parents, especially the fathers. Let us review the findings of psychological studies on ways parents are responsible for a child going astray. Children are gifts from God. This gift is a blessing, free but comes with responsibility, stewardship, and accountability from the Lord. Let us reflect on this devotion, evaluate, and find ways to disciple our children according to God’s word.  

PRAYER

Help us, Lord, to be responsible and faithful stewards of Your gifts to us by discipling, training, teaching, and correcting them in light of Your word. And as children, even if our parents are not faithful in this area, help us to be responsible for growing spiritually in your word and not let the world influence our minds, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds with the reading, reflecting, and application of your word. Help us all, Lord, to win the family for your glory, In Jesus’ name, amen.