Roads

When studying the Parable of the Sower, the Seed, and the Soil this week, the goodness and the love of God in it was evident to me. Our Creator so understands the human condition and the things that can easily beset us. In His word He makes it clear that to glorify Him, we must produce fruit (John 15:8). I’m so thankful that He doesn’t just command it and then leave us in turmoil to try to do it all by ourselves. What a good Gardener He is to give us instructions on how to keep our heart conditions right so that making fruit is possible with Him! If we help our children learn these skills when they are seedlings, they can grow up strong and true and bear the fruit that God expects from them. Here’s my gardening translation of Proverbs 22:6- Teach your children how to cultivate their heart-gardens when they are young and when they grow up, they will have lots of fruit! 

The first soil in the parable (found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke), is the wayside path. This is the hang-out place for people who are practicing sin. Lots of peer pressure happens here, which can keep the good seeds of God’s ways from being able to take root. The Bible says the enemy hangs out on this road in order to snatch up the good seed before it ever has a chance of germinating and growing in a heart. Hearing that, it’s a no-brainer to keep our kids off that road, right? But this warning from Jesus comes because it’s a well-traveled path. This road can wind its way all around and often straight through our lives if we’re not careful. That being the case, what can we do? One practical way that I can think of is to keep family time, or more appropriately called together time, our top priority. As a Mom whose children are now grown and gone, I understand more than ever how valuable that time really is. I’m not talking about the special event nights or weekend outings we planned, which were great of course! Rather, it’s the everyday time together- the homework help time, dinner time together at the table, bedtime talks, those are the moments which I now see had the biggest impact on my children. My advice to parents today would be to guard your time with your family fiercely. The conversations that naturally happen when you’re together, the relationship you are building, make these occasions optimum seed-planting times. Parents! Your voice should be the loudest voice your children hear. I don’t mean in decibels but in the influence you have in their lives. Ungodly counsel is free and easy for your children to get anywhere. Your Biblical parental wisdom will have an impact only at the cost you are willing to pay for their time. I don’t think we will ever look back when our children are grown and think, “Gee, I wish I let my son play video games with his friends more or I wish I let my daughter hide out in her room more.” It may sound cliche but believe me when I tell you that this time you have with your children is flying by so fast. Make every day with them count.

A postscript I have on this lesson is: Keeping your children off the wayside road and in the bounds of your family will bring some protest at times. Stay strong Mamma! Let go of the thought that your children have to like all that you are doing for them. You know best! Keep the family-time to friend-time ratio proportionally large in your favor. This will mean you will say no more often than not. It’s okay. You can limit device time and monitor their social media at will. Do you really know all about the APs and websites on their devices and who can talk and what gets erased? Social media rides on the road that you are trying to keep your child from! I promise- if you do these things, your children will not die but live to see another day and another friend another time. I’ll say it again, guard your family time fiercely. Doing this will strengthen your family and ensure that your children are hearing the truths that you want them to hear, giving them the heart to stay off that wayside path and cultivate good soil in their hearts.