THINGS THAT MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME (Part II)
Robert Meredith
And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). These words from the pen of Paul reveal to us the tremendous responsibility that parents have. We began last week to discuss some of the things that my parents taught me that I hope to instill in my children. Parents should teach their children to share, to take care of what they have been given, and to respect authority. Now let us look at some other things that my parents taught me.
My parents tried to instill within us a supreme love for God. On one occasion a lawyer came to Jesus, tempting Him, saying, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus responded, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment (Mt. 22:35-38). If mankind would simply adhere to this, what a change it would make in our society. I fervently pray that I will be able to implant this within our children. If one loves God supremely, he will follow, serve, obey, and worship Him as He directs. I want my children to be in heaven, therefore, I desire that they love God above everything else (sports, games, school activities, or any other events). How can I implant this if I say God comes first and then willingly miss the services so that they can be a part of some worldly event. Furthermore, if I love God supremely, I will worship Him where He is being worshipped in spirit (with proper attitude) and truth (according to the Bible).
We, my twin brother and I, were reared in a congregation in which truth was always taught. I am so thankful for the grounding that I received as a youth. Many are not reared in a congregational setting where you hear book, chapter, and verse preaching. I am thankful that my parents cared enough for us that we attended where we could worship God faithfully. David penned, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord (Ps. 122:1). As I grew up I was able to hear men like V.P. Black, Winfred Clark, and Guy N. Woods. How different that is from some who are brought up listening to Rubel Shelley, Randy Harris, and Max Lucado. Jesus declared that we must worship Him in spirit and that we must worship Him in truth. How can one worship in truth if he is listening to men who are not teaching the Jerusalem gospel or if they are doing things in worship which are not authorized. The former elders of the Oak Acres congregation saw to it that only faithful men would fill the pulpit. When I consider worshipping God in spirit (with the proper attitude), I am once again thankful for my upbringing. If one has the proper attitude he will demand that the worship be in truth; if it is not, how can one have the proper attitude? Just ask Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10). Therefore, worshipping in truth makes it possible to worship in spirit. This involves being mentally and emotionally involved in the worship.
There are many forgotten commandments of the Lord. One that my parents did not forget to teach us was to stand for truth (Jude 3). Jude said we were to earnestly contend for the faith. Paul wrote that he was set for the defense of the gospel (Phil. 1:17). Many today falsely state that it is unloving to refute error. No way! It is unloving to God and to the unlearned hearer not to stand for truth. If someone said something false about me, I would hope someone would stand and defend the truth about the matter. I recall on one occasion my brother was visiting a congregation in Mississippi where the preacher falsely taught in his sermon that there were Christians in the denominations. My brother withheld his contribution from that place; and rightly so. I would not want to support such blasphemy. Standing for truth is quickly becoming a lost art. A country song once proclaimed that If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything. Looking at the Lords church today you can see this is true.
There are many things that my parents taught me that I must now teach my children. Each generation must teach the next. My parents taught me to bring up my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). If I can instill within my children this concept, then my future grandchildren and great-grandchildren may walk those golden streets in that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Heb. 11:10).
I am thankful for the things my parents taught me and pray God for the strength, patience, and wisdom to properly train my children so that our society will be improved, and that ultimately heaven may be theirs.