I Know That!

Teaching is hard! And raising children is not for the faint of heart. I'm sure I am not the only one who has implored to my children, "How many times have I told you that!" I recently had a conversation with my 17 year old son (the same conversation I had had with him about a bagillion times) about behavior patterns that will cause him challenges down the road. Then I asked him, "Do you think your dad and I are wrong about this?" And he said, no, that he agreed. So, where do you go from there? I thought about it. I thought about how we all receive information, good sound advice, and often agree with it, and acknowledge that it is contrary to how we live, but nothing changes. Why is that?  We have churches full of people who sit and, "Amen," through a sermon on obedience to Christ, evangelism, Christ being our first love, etc. and think to ourselves, 'Yes! that is true!' Then leave church to resume the same patterns that have been established for years. Where is the disconnect? 

 

For example, I read an article that had been posted to social media regarding over scheduling children and the drawbacks it can have on their development. All of the comments were whole heartedly in agreement that most kids today are stretched too thin. They discussed the rat race from school, to practice, to piano, tutoring, grabbing dinner at a drive through, and doing homework in the car. Rushing home into bed only to do it all over again the next day. Every single comment agreed that it was no way to live. I asked if anyone who found truth in what the article said was willing to make a change to their life and no one was. It's insanity. Just like with my son, he knows that his life will be easier and more successful if he makes the changes we've suggested. But to date he hasn't done that.

 

We have access to truth of all types. But what we do with that truth determines what kind of people we really are. I get it, change is hard. But Christ equips us to do hard things. We must hear truth and apply it, regardless. God's word says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." James 1:22-24 The book of Proverbs is full of warnings to people about not heading wise instruction. The first ten chapters of Proverbs begins the same way. Take a look:

 

Proverbs 1:7-8

My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;

For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.

Proverbs 2:1-2 & 5
My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;. . .
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 3:1-2
My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 4:1-2
Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.

I could go on but I think you get the idea. We are told in scripture over and over again, just like we've told our son, listen to our instruction. It takes purposeful and intentional dedication to follow and be obedient to God's call on our lives. At the new year many are finding a single word to focus on as a motivator for the year. I've seen words like, determination, focus, intensity, motivation, etc. I believe the word I would choose would be 'obedient.' That one probably wouldn't be real popular today. It insinuates humility and acknowledges authority. People these days don't like those things. But if I am obedient and actually make the changes in my life to fall in line with what I know to be true, all of those other profound sounding words will come along with it. Obedience draws us closer to Christ. We need to be a people drawing to Christ, making Him again our first love, and actually living the precepts we know to be true. Knowing it isn't enough. It's time to make the change.