Tablet of your Heart (3)

“Honey,” I tell my oldest, “please help me set the table.”  Other times, “please make your bed immediately when you get up.”  “Do not watch any Netflix until you’re dressed and your bed is made.”  Now that’s a new one.  When I was their age, it was “don’t play too loud in your room,” for fear I’d wake up my parents if they wanted to sleep in.  I’d use my Hot Wheels cars and imagine car races or use my K.I.T.T. car with Michael Knight action figure – with legs like Barbie – imagining huge stunts while capturing bad guys.

As a child, I was constantly battling the fun over the chores.  And why were the chores that important?  I mean, they were always there to be done.  There was a never-ending ceaselessness about it.  Make your bed, clean your room, feed the dog, pick up after the dog, put your toys away, and do it every single day.  My girls do an excellent job taking care of the things around the house; they’re girls and they have a fantastic mother.  But they still forget some of the basic things.  It isn’t often, but it happens.  What can I say?  They’re kids.  But isn’t easy to get frustrated when you tell them something over and over and over again just hoping one of these days they’ll do it on their own?

Reading Proverbs 3, I am refreshed in being reminded what is most important.  Training a child to do his or her chores is indeed important.  It teaches life skills, respect, honor, taking care of what has been given to you; however, what is worth more than that is teaching your child to adore God.  This isn’t something that they acquire by your instruction.  This isn’t a Sunday School lesson that they pick up; they don’t just love God and love His commands because you tell them to.  This isn’t something they learn from lectures from you.  They learn this by practice, by imitation, by it being modeled.

I am beyond blessed that my girls live peacefully (most of the time), love others, and love God.  They understand His word and love reading their Bible.  They look forward to Sunday, to carrying their Bible to church, and to learning about Him.  They love telling stories they heard at church and what it means to them.  This is something I know has been modeled to my girls, having learned from us, their grandparents, and others we know have helped to shape their hearts towards loving and adoring the Father.

Just a week or so ago, I remember seeing my oldest crying to my wife.  She was telling her mother of something that happened at school.  I could tell they needed their moment and later, after my oldest went back out to play, I asked my wife what that was all about.  She told me that while our daughter was at recess, a couple of the kids said that they thought it would be fun not to line up when the bell rang; this was expected of the kids when recess was over, signaled by the bell.  My daughter overheard them and rather than joining them, she reminded them that the moral focus of the week was “integrity” and that we should make the right choice.  The kids ended up laughing at her and this caused her pain which she carried with her when she came home.

Later on that night, I told her I heard about it.  I paused.  I then told her that I was very proud of her.  I tried my best to show her the immense pride I had for her and shared with her how pleased I was that she cared more about doing the right thing and pleasing God over doing what others wanted.

May we clothe ourselves in Him and bind ourselves with His teachings.  More importantly, may we do this so that our children will know how to adore Him too.

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, 
   but keep my commands in your heart, 
² for they will prolong your life many years 
   and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; 
   bind them around your neck, 
   write them on the tablet of your heart. 
⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name 
   in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
   and lean not on your own understanding; 
⁶ in all your ways submit to him, 
   and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; 
   fear the LORD and shun evil. 
⁸ This will bring health to your body 
   and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth, 
   with the firstfruits of all your crops; 
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing, 
   and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, 
   and do not resent his rebuke, 
¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves, 
   as a father the son he delights in.^[b

Proverbs 3:1-12

3 days!