Added to the Church

When you cross the threshold of the doorway to your teenager’s room, you have entered into what can seem to be another world attached to your home. It is not just the smell of the moldy slice of pizza under the bed that grabs you but the décor. The shelves are full of items they value, and the walls might be covered with large posters of the celebrities or athletes they love so dearly. If we are not careful, it might be those of the world our children only invite in, and the world would love the opportunity. I remember being a teenager and struggling to learn who I was, where I was to fit in, and what I was meant to do. Those were the years I could have used some help from several solid Christians to be a positive role model for me. This is strange because if you had asked me back then, I would have told you I had it all figured out and did not need any guidance. The truth was I thought I had it figured out, and I thought I did not need any guidance, but I thought wrong. 

First Positive Role Model

The first and greatest place of Christian influence and a positive role model for our children should not be inside the church building but inside the home. For this to be accomplished, we as parents need to begin with a self-evaluation and ask, “Am I placing the word of God in my heart as I should?” In order to help our children spiritually, we need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves spiritually. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 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” (Deut 6:6-7 NKJV [emphasis added]). When the word is in our heart, we teach it to our children continually through our example; by how we communicate “…talk…” by how we act “…walk…” and that this is a consistent walk and talk “…when you lie down and when you rise up.” The best role models during your children’s most influential times are those in the home. Protect your homes from the world and allow your children to discover their role models inside you and their Bible, not inside their TV sets, cell phones, video games, etc.   

When you continue to cross the threshold of the doorway to your teenager’s room, it begins to feel less like another world and like an extension of your home. The message from this preacher today is to remind parents to keep God’s word in their hearts and spend time with their children. Be the positive role model God wants you to be!