Solid Foundations or Ruins?

When I saw this picture, it got me thinking.  Our children need to see us make the right choices.  The hard choices.  Guard your heart as if everything depended on it...because it does.  As Christians, when our children see us pick and choose which Bible passages we will heed and make our own choices in spite of what other passages tell us, we are creating in them a reason to doubt God's Word.  Don't look for excuses to disregard Scripture in your life, but rather ask God for wisdom to know how to follow through and seek wise counsel and guidance.  It is never right to do wrong to do what we feel is right.  If you are struggling in parenting, let your kids see you seek God and then follow through in obedience.  If you are struggling in your marriage relationship, let them see you seek God and then follow through.  It isn't always easy to love our children or our spouses, but then when we really think about it, are we easy to love all the time?  Heavens no!  God doesn't say we should only submit to our husbands when they are walking in obedience...it says simply to submit.  Equally, it doesn't say husband love your wives only when they are lovable...it says simply husbands love your wives.  Just the same, it doesn't say children obey your parents only when your parents are doing it right.  It simply says children obey your parents in the Lord for this right.  Your children will learn so much about grace by watching you love them when they are unlovable.  Your children will learn so much about grace by watching you submit to their dad, even when you feel you have a right to run away from the relationship.  If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it. Do not shortchange your children.  Do not shortchange other children who may be watching as well.  Recently our kids have witnessed a disregard of Scripture within a family and my oldest asked me "does this mean they will abandon their kids if they become too hard to love?  I am glad you didn't give up on me when I was not easy to love."  I used this opportunity as a launching pad to teach truths about choices and doing right.  I am thankful for these times because it makes my children think deeper and examine their own hearts and motives.  What are you teaching your children by your choices?  Are you creating ruin or are you creating a solid foundation?

⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; 

and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: 

for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

⁴⁶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

⁴⁷ Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, 

and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

⁴⁸ He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: 

and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, 

and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

⁴⁹ But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built 

an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, 

and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

 Luke 6:45-49