Godly parenting in an ungodly culture

Published 9:39 am Friday, March 4, 2011

The Word of God has always been intended to be heritage driven.

It has always been the plan of God to pass on the blessings from one generation to the next.

The Psalmist emphasized that ‘one generation shall praise God’s works to another.’ Several times God is referred to as ‘the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,’ once again suggesting that God desires us to be heritage driven.

On Dec. 26, 2004, an Australian newspaper reported that a tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean and its waves caused vast destruction and death in 11 countries in the region.

Witnesses on land reported waves reaching 30 feet high. As the devastation was evaluated, reports soon confirmed the deaths of 750,000 people, 250,000 of which were children.

In this island rich region, tsunami waves are not an uncommon occurrence, although the last major one occurred in 1941.

As part of their island heritage, children were taught that when the ground shook, they should run away from the sea, up into the hills for safety. But because it hadn’t happened in 63 years, the teachings were no longer believed to be relevant. As a result, an entire generation was not properly educated in earthquake and tsunami survival. The escape route was completely unknown.

So when the ground began violently shaking, the waters of the sea receded, and many sea shells and sea animals were exposed, which arrested the attention of the island inhabitants. Instead of running for the hills, away from the danger, everyone ran down to see the beautiful sea bed, which they’d never seen or heard of before. They ran directly into the path of the tsunami.

From the point when the water receded, until the time the massive tsunami wave hit, a complete hour passed—plenty of time to escape to the hills. But instead, thousands were killed.

But in the region, there is a small island called Simeuleu. Simeuleu was close to the center of the earthquake and was one of the first islands to be hit by the waves. They had very little time to prepare for the disaster. 90% of the buildings along the coast were destroyed, but none of their 70,000 residents were killed.

These islanders had emphasized traditions passed down from generation to generation—when the ground shakes, run to the hills for safety.

Even though a disastrous tsunami hadn’t hit Simeuleu’s shores in almost 100 years, they continued to pass down the word, “When the ground shakes, run to the hills.”

I am proud of my Christian heritage. My grandmother was Spirit-filled in a cotton patch prayer meeting in rural Alabama many years ago. From that point on, she began a heritage.

Soon a small church was constructed in that cotton patch by sharecroppers and she began attending with her husband, daughter, and five sons. At age sixteen, my father was Spirit-filled in that church, and met a 12-year-old girl.

Three years later, they walked the aisles of that church and were married. He and she now pastor that country church in Hillsboro, Alabama, the very place they worshipped as children.

Now, here I am in 2011, with three boys of my own. What will I do with the rich Christian faith and heritage that I have inherited? Is it still important? Is the message still relevant? Is pleasing God still an important value as a parent today?

I think I will do what God has called me to do. I intend to continue the trend and pass on this inheritance to my boys. Truth is the only thing that still sets men free. The truth may seem ‘old-fashioned’ in 2011, but I fully intend to continue preaching truth! I can almost hear David’s poetic voice echoing in his Psalm, “The Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations.”

I strive to be a successful parent, and I hope you do as well. But what is the factor that will determine whether or not we’ve been successful in rearing our children? I hope they excel in education. I’d be pleased if they shine in sports, or other extracurricular activities at Ironton Elementary. I’ll very likely be a doting father when they receive their diplomas from the college of their choice and begin their careers. But in all honesty, if I don’t instill within them a love for God, and a desire to please him and put him first, I will have failed as a Christian parent.

If I give flowers, they may last two weeks. Fashionable clothing may endure two years. If I purchase them a car on their sixteenth birthday, perhaps it lasts a decade. If they inherit my house and land, it may last a lifetime. But if I can leave them a legacy of truth and commitment to God’s Word, it will have eternal consequences. And that is most important to me as a parent in 2011.

Decisions we make today will affect our families tomorrow. Adam and Eve’s choices in the garden had a direct impact on their children, and are still affecting us today. Daily choices made—great and small—mold our children into what they will become. What an awesome blessing—and responsibility—there is with being a parent.

Parents, don’t assume your children know who God is. We are dealing with eternity. Don’t leave the responsibility of teaching them godly principles only to others. That’s why God placed a parent in their lives. Deuteronomy 6 tells us that our God is one LORD, and that we are to love him with all of our heart, soul, and might. But then, in the verses that follow, we find parental responsibility. We are told to teach our children diligently, to talk of God in our homes, when we lie down, and when we wake up. Once I have learned who he is, an enormous responsibility is also given to me to ensure my children also know of this ‘One Lord.’

Scriptures declare that whatever can be shaken will be shaken. In today’s culture, we have witnessed much shaking concerning truth. But for the sake of future generations, we must not allow godly examples and teaching to be shaken out of existence.

Parents, your children need to know the ‘escape route.’ Reinforce to them daily who he is. They need you to emphasize godly values. They need you to stand for truth in the midst of a culture that seems to bow to everything around it. For the sake of those who come after us, we must continue to profess Christianity and the importance of living a God-centered life.

Jeremy Sherrill is Pastor of Greater Faith Apostolic Church in Ironton