This morning on the Today Show they interviewed teens. (The video is available online to watch.) Then they interviewed three experts who discussed teens’ views on sex, drugs and alcohol. They talked about listening to your child–good advice. They discussed allowing your child to drink or smoke pot in your own home. I felt they leaned toward saying to your child, “Of course, let me teach you how.” But they never gave a definitive answer on that one. (Probably because of legal issues!)
As I watched the “experts” skirt the true issues at hand I recalled the phrase found in Leviticus 10:9-10.
“For the generations to come. You must distinguish between the holy and common.”
My girlfriend looked up the verse in her Bible and it read, “between the holy and secular”. Interesting. Of course, we can’t remove everything from our lives because we live in a secular world, but I believe we can be intentional in what we allow to be in our lives and home.
Of course, this whole thought can throw us in “parental guilt” paralysis. With thoughts of, “if only I had done. . . “ As parents we have enough guilt without heaping another garbage pail of guilt on top of ourselves. So don’t allow guilt to consume you over past mistakes.
However, is there something I can do now to change my home to bring about a more holy environment? Ponder it. Are there outward behaviors I can alter to illustrate my own intent to walk in closeness with our God? Regardless of what our children say or do, they still watch our own behavior. They watch us closely. Do we walk our talk?
Think about it today. Reflect on what you can do to model holiness to your children. Tomorrow, I am going to share a devotion I wrote on this topic for Proverbs 31 Ministries several years ago.
Blessings,
