WEEKLY FOCUS ARCHIVE

Wisdom Early

August 3, 2005

Statistics point to the importance of running after wisdom as early in life as possible. Studies demonstrate that most people who come to faith do so by the age of eighteen. The scriptures instruct us to “train up a child in the way he should go”. The admonition is to teach wisdom early on in order that a child might embrace a life of faith and not depart from it. While our passion to teach our kids as much as we can about living a life of devotion to God does not guarantee they will not go the way of the prodigal, as parents we are called by God to give our best effort to instill values that will last a lifetime. Some of the critical values we should aim to teach our kids follow here.

Before we look specifically at those core values we want to have our kids embrace, we must look at the foundation for all deep rooted Christian character—our understanding of calling. Ultimately, our aim is to provide an environment in which our kids can grow into an understanding of the calling God has for them. This is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of Christian character is built. If we are to motivate our kids to avoid all the allure of sin around them, they must be convinced of the “ultimate why”.

Rick Warren, author of the all-time best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, has challenged millions of readers to base their lives upon a “why”, a purpose. The earlier kids understand the purpose for which they were created, the earlier they commit themselves to character development. Os Guinness, a brilliant author, in his book, Rising To The Call, writes the following:

How do we each find and fulfill the central purpose of our lives? No theme I know strikes a deeper resonance with more people today than discovering life’s purpose. It’s a question, of course, but it’s more—far, far more. It’s a question that’s a passion, a longing, a hunger, a restless stirring in our souls, a driving motivation that fires the deepest parts of our lives and taps into the most powerful sources of our energy.

This passion, this deep hunger for our purpose, is fulfilled only by an understanding that we are created for something—and someone. To know early on that we are the apple of God’s eye and that He has specific intentions for us, can and does utterly reorient our life. I know this personally. This knowledge of God calling us to Himself, and calling us to accomplish certain tasks, is what builds the corresponding drive for character and is what gives us strength for any battle which may lie ahead. The lack of such compelling belief is what has lead to an American culture so replete with unfathomable pain amidst such wealth. If you doubt this reality just read the recent Newsweek special on the rising Crystal Meth epidemic in our country. Guinness points to the problem when he writes, “…the trouble is that, as modern people, we have too much to live with and too little to live for.”

And so, we must teach our youth to understand early just what it is, and who it is, that gives them a reason for living. We must teach our kids that the chief end of their lives is to know God and to enjoy Him forever.

Once convinced of their calling, our kids will run after character. When they see a passionate sense of calling lived out daily in our lives they will understand and move toward the core values we champion in our homes. What are some of those values and why are they important? I thought you would never ask! Here are a few core values we ought to be trumpeting in our homes.

1. Courage—our kids must understand and embrace the pursuit of courage. Like us, they will face many daunting challenges as they grow. Big battles will come and the odds can often seem overwhelming. The courage to look difficulty in the eye and press on is an indispensable trait. Nothing good is accomplished without courage for the fight.
2. The Will to Fight—some things are worth fighting for. Some battles are pivotal. There are moments in life where we must summon up the resolve to fight for a Godly agenda. It may be a fight for fidelity in marriage, a fight for honesty, a fight for friendship, a fight for truth, a fight for financial survival, and more. These fights will come to all of our kids, and the earlier our kids learn to fight the better off they will be. If they fight the integrity battles early on they will save themselves a world of heartache.
3. Leadership—we must teach, and indeed call our kids, early on, to be the compass for those around them. Our kids must learn to develop the focus to point the way for others. We must encourage them to be the ones to set the example for others. They ought to be the ones that other kids look to and say, “that’s what I want my life to look like”. Free advice, leaders are readers—encourage, and yes, make, your kids read widely.
4. Character—as our kids allow God to build character in them they bless those around them. While they bless their parents when they exhibit Godly character, and this is great, they also bless their peers in that the example of purity, honesty, compassion, and integrity encourages others to pursue the same path. Let the others get the accolades for “best dressed”, “best looking”, “prom queen”, and the like. I want my kids to be the ones to whom others turn when life gets confusing. Teach your kids to pursue the eternal crown of glory. Call them to set the bar for others. Character, we must explain to them, is the ability to consistently do the “good” thing even when it’s not “popular”.
   

While this is, of course, not an extensive list of traits we want our kids to embrace, it is a starting point. If our kids, and we as adults for that matter, can master these core values, they, and we, will certainly be able to taste and see that the Lord is Good. Living life abundantly, that’s the goal we are called to set for our youth. We have got to point them to the Pearl of Great Price early on. Teach wisdom early, live it now. The dividends will be enormous.

Bruce Smith (Rev.)
Director of Development, Teaching Pastor
bruce@uptownchurch.net

JOIN OUR EMAIL COMMUNITY AND RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY FOCUS EMAIL EACH WEEK!