Tell Your Body What To Do

When our children are young, we tell them, “Tell your body what to do, or it will tell you what to do.” The years following will tell us whether or not they listened to us. But, this reality of the pervasiveness of sin and depravity, which most often shows up in impulses of the body, will become prominent in their lives. They must be prepared.

Children were created by God to learn. You can teach a child almost anything and they will learn it. They are incredible in that way. However, what children of Christian parents need to learn is that they are sinners in God’s eyes and their transgressions are from a dead heart that does not beat spiritually. They desire nothing that is good. They love what is unlovely and are drawn to what is dark. As they get more introduced to that part of life, they will grow to love it, unless God is working in them for His own glory.

But, in order for God to work in them, they need to learn the Bible. They need to read, recite, memorize, and scour the written Word of God so that they can see the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness. They need to see God, and they cannot see Him in nature, their hearts, the television screen, or on the internet. They must see Him where He is-the Bible.

Start your day, and your kid’s day, with reading the Bible. Make it a habit, discipline, expectation each morning before leaving for school, or getting ready for the day. This in itself is not righteousness, but will introduce them to righteousness, which they cannot get anywhere else.

This is all part of making them discipline themselves. Parents, remember. The children are not in charge. God did not make them to rule over parents. Don’t let them. If given opportunity, they will take it. Don’t give them that opportunity. And yet, they are children. Lead them, rule over them, instruct them, discipline them in the teaching and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4), expecting obedience to you for Scripture’s sake, not your sake. But, you cannot even have this discussion and speak this language if neither of you read the Bible.

So, take their cell phones away (and put yours away) and read. Remove the distractions. Work to have their hearts set on learning the Word of God. And, parents, this begins with you-do you love the Word of God?