As
an umpire stood behind the plate at a girls’ soccer game, he heard a player’s
mother start chanting: “We want a new ump! We want a new ump!” Soon, other
parents took up the chant. The ump smiled, then turned toward the crowd and
yelled, “I want new parents! I want new parents!” The heckling died away.
It’s
important for parents to set a good example, because their children are
watching them. Christian parents can encourage good habits and behavior by
doing things like:
• Praying
for and with them—so they learn how to talk with God. “Continue earnestly
in prayer, being vigilant in it” (Col. 4:2).
• Reading
and teaching them the Bible—so they learn God’s truth. “Teach [God’s
commands] diligently to your children, . . . 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. 6:7).
• Telling
them about Jesus—and leading them to faith in Him. “Unless one is born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3.
The best way to set a good example for our children is to live out our faith in front of them. While they’re looking—they’re learning about what matters most.
Children may not inherit their parents’ talent,
but they will absorb their values. (RBC)
