Very good posts on courtship going on right now, but this latest covers a lot.
Who decides what is "important" inyour life?
"Many of you pour your time, your money and your energy into teaching your sons how to play baseball or, fill in the blank. You do everything you can to make sure he's the best–but he doesn't know Christ or a thing about what the Scriptures say about his life."
How many parents are guilty of trying to meet the pressures of what culture says is important, giving very little thought to discipling their children?
That is a big statement there. Sadly, it's full of way too much truth in way too many families. We will spend money, effort and time teaching our sons (and our daughters, too) sports, or really pushing/encouraging an interest they have discovered. We revolve our days and usually our budgets around that interest.
There's nothing wrong with that base idea, really, but as Scripture says,
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
If you remember, there is another section that says you cannot serve two masters, also. In time, he will hate one and love the other.
(Sports, as an example) there are a lot of players who lay claim to being Christian these days. They tout exemplary conduct in every press release, talk about their deep faith and Walk with Christ, their strong family relationship, etc.
And they miss a lot of church, they devote far more time to their game than to The Lord, they 'work' on His Day, etc. You don't see their fruit of Christianity -- unless you just like the half-ripe fruits of throwing money into namely charity organizations.
I'm not saying sports are wrong at all, either. I'm just saying stop giving it a white wash and own it. For what it is. It is a social and professional presence. It is a great joy.
We could all easily slip any number of things into that 'sports' slot. I spent way more time and thought yesterday (well, several days, I suppose) in my sewing efforts than I did sharing Truths of The Lord with my children, let alone myself.
Susannah Wesley had a rule in her household to be followed with all care and diligence by herself as well as her children:
Spend no more time in leisure activities in a day, than you have spent in devotion to God's Word.
Pretty tall order given our zeal for all things fun and "important" in our lives these days, don't you think?
2 comments:
That's right. I need to hear that. I often think since I don't have anything I really consider "leisure" I'm ok. But I spend time on the computer, so that would count. I'm just as guilty as my unbelieving sports loving dh, if not more, as I should know better. Thanks for this post.
Excellent post! I needed this conviction.
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