The Scriptures instruct us to raise our children in the love of God. In the book of Deuteronomy, we are encouraged to share with our children all that God has done in our lives so that they, in turn, may love God and pass on these stories, along with their own experiences, to future generations. This way, the love of God is made known across the ages. Unfortunately, this has often been reduced to a historical recounting of what God did for the Israelites in Egypt, which has sometimes instilled fear rather than fostering a wholehearted love for God.
Is the same mindset still prevalent today, or have present-day believers moved beyond these old ways of thinking to embrace a new creation in Christ? As children of God, it is essential for us to examine this issue based on our own lives rather than using others as examples. This personal reflection can help us understand whether we are truly living out God’s love or merely perpetuating traditional narratives.
Love the LORD your God
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV)
The first and foremost instruction is to love the LORD, and every other command is based on the depth of that love. Unfortunately, even today, this instruction is often followed as a rigid rule rather than embraced as a joyful and transformative experience. In the modern context, talking to children about God and His love has almost disappeared. Instead, parents often present their accomplishments as their own intelligence and capability, thinking it will build confidence in their children. However, this approach often backfires, leaving children demotivated when they try to meet challenges by idolizing their parents as heroes. How boldly we take credit for what belongs to God, unknowingly leading our children further away from Him!
While many Bible translations emphasize teaching children repeatedly about God, the NIV version calls us to impress our children with our lives, and the Message Bible urges us to let our experiences with God resonate deeply within them. However, instead of nurturing a genuine love for God, many believers focus on teaching children to diligently follow rituals. Children are taught to read the Bible and pray every morning and evening, as well as attend Sunday School, Youth meetings, and church services, with additional praise given to those who join the choir or take up leadership roles in youth fellowships. Parents love to give their children T-shirts, wristbands, and headbands with Bible verses and purchase framed scriptures with beautiful designs.
Yet, all these outward actions often lack the foundation of genuine love for God. Instead of cultivating a heartfelt connection with Him, we prioritize appearances to showcase ourselves as righteous. For example, a father who insists his son reads the Bible every morning might immediately instruct him to lie to his boss about his presence at home. Similarly, a mother who tells her daughter to pray before leaving the house might then be out gossiping while her daughter is away.
When children witness such inconsistencies between their parents’ words and actions, they become disillusioned. How can children follow their parents’ spiritual instructions when they can clearly discern the gap between good and evil? With their ability to analyze and question, will they truly be able to love God as they should?
An Unaccomplished Pledge
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. – Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
One of the most commonly displayed verses in the homes of believers is Joshua’s declaration: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This verse is often seen as placing the responsibility on the head of the household to guide the entire family in serving God. Many parents interpret this as a mandate to ensure their children read the Bible every morning and evening. But is it truly possible for an entire family to serve God, with each member being equally committed and aligned in their faith?
Often, when applying this Word feels unattainable, people resort to displaying it outwardly, despite knowing it is not being fully practised. Joshua spoke these words in the final days of his life, not as a mere pledge but as a warning to the people to follow God even under the leadership of someone else. His statement was a bold declaration: whether others followed God or not, he and his family would remain steadfast in serving the Lord. It was both a caution for those ignoring God’s love and mercy and a firm personal decision to separate himself from those who persistently strayed from God. Joshua’s words were not just a vow but a motivational call to inspire the people to follow his example. If it had been a pledge, he would have made it during his younger years.
Today, while many parents pledge to lead their children in God’s love, they often fail to see the desired results. Families are diverse, much like the fingers of a hand—each unique. For example, though Martha and Mary were sisters, their ways of following God were different (A Tale of Two Sisters Luke 10:38-42). We cannot force every family member to walk with God in the same way we do. Yet, this truth is often overlooked, and those closest to God within a family expect others to view Him from their perspective.
When family members differ in their approaches to God, it is His grace that bridges the gap and unites them as a family. God does not compel everyone to reach the same level of faith to belong to a family. This principle extends to the larger family of God, where He shows the same grace. Where sin increases, His love abounds even more (Romans 5:20).
The Bible itself is a collection of narratives reflecting people’s diverse perspectives on God. Just as we cannot impose uniform faith within our own families, we should embrace the individuality of each person’s relationship with Him. Instead of striving to see God as others do, we must seek Him in our own unique way.
When Jesus asked His disciples what others said about Him, He quickly turned the question to them: “But who do you say I am (Mark 8:27-29)?” It was a deeply personal question, inviting each of them to reflect on their own understanding of Him. In the same way, Jesus asks us this question today. If we fail to grasp the personal nature of this question, our efforts to bring others to our level of faith will likely fall short. True faith is personal and cannot be forced—it must be experienced individually.
The Ransom Is Paid
No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
so that they should live on forever
and not see decay. – Psalms 49:7-9 (NIV)
This Psalm reminds us of our inability to win souls for God because the ransom for a life is far too costly. We are fully aware that, in our helplessness to save ourselves from the wages of sin, God paid the ultimate price to redeem us and restore us in His image. With this truth in mind, let us continue steadfastly in our faith walk, not faltering or delaying by waiting for others to join us.
Let us not take for granted the precious children (family) God has entrusted to us. Rather than placing unnecessary burdens on them in an attempt to bring them closer to God, let us pray that they grow in His love day by day.
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. – Isaiah 53:10 (NIV)
Our salvation is a priceless treasure that cannot be traded for anything. Yet, sometimes, we unknowingly risk trading our salvation, believing we might save others in the process. However, God desires that we live in the fullness of our salvation, and it is through this faithful living that many will be drawn to His fold.
While we should pause to extend compassion to those who are suffering without God, there is no need to stop for those who are already saved by His grace. God will lead them in His own time and way. Let us not waste the precious and personal gift of salvation that God has placed in our hands. Instead, let us cherish it and walk faithfully in it, trusting that He will use our lives to glorify His name.
The Jordan Valley 
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