“He too followed the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him to act wickedly.”
2 Chronicles 22:3
What?!?
What kind of mother would encourage her child to act wickedly? Evil Queen Athaliah that’s who. She was so evil she killed her own grandchildren to become Queen! (For further reading, her story is found in 2 Chronicles 21-23) But, suffice it to say, she was one bad mother! She taught her children not to follow God, but to follow Baal and worship idols instead. Of course, she was taught these things by her mother, also known as the evilest woman to ever live- the evil Queen Jezebel.
Like mother, like daughter!!!
Did you know that saying is actually biblical? It’s found in Ezekiel 16:44. In context, it’s referring to people groups like Samaritans, Hittites, and Amorites influencing each other to do evil. But it still holds true today that each generation teaches the next generation either to follow God or not. That of course, begins first in our individual households but it doesn’t just stay there.
As Americans, we must teach our children and our grandchildren, the next generation, to follow God or the world will influence them not to. And if we’re not careful, pretty soon, America will no longer be known as a Christian nation.
We are instructed in Deuteronomy 11:18-20 to:
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”
It is our responsibility to make God known to the next generations. Not just our own children, but everyone we come in contact with. Are we doing that? Or are we teaching them to worship idols?
Sure, we may not be teaching our children to worship Baal, but are we teaching them to worship money? Or beauty? Or fame? Or sports? Anything that comes before God is an idol. And we must guard against idols in our own lives and in the lives of those who look to us for direction.
Never underestimate your influence on your children. Where your focus is theirs will be also.
Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to anything in my life that is becoming more important than You. Lead, guide, and direct me, as I lead, guide, and direct others towards You.
Amen.
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Thank you, Teresa, for your great message!