“DADDY, YOU TAUGHT US…”
Danielle walked into my room with an activity book in her hands. She said, “Daddy, I am sorry. I accidentally tore my book while I was drawing on it”. I told her, “Girl, that’s fine. Be careful next time”.
The next thing she said was what shook me to my bones, “Daddy, you taught us that when we do not cover our wrongs, we will enjoy mercy”. My sleepy eyes cleared. I smiled at my daughter and said, “That is true”. She smiled and walked out of the room.
Dear parents, you cannot use scriptures to correct a child you did not raise with scripture. That would be pure manipulation. There are parents who begin to quote scriptures to children that they never sat with to load with the Word of God. If you shirk in your responsibility of loading them with the word, it would be manipulative to use it as a tool of correction.
Dear parents, statements like “Is that what you are taught in school?”, or “Is that what they teach you in church?” is a lazy cover for foundations you did not lay. The question should be, “Do you remember what we shared at devotion last week or yesterday?”
Please, if you do family devotions, you can tailor it to meet the spiritual needs of your children. You can have “adult devotion” sometime later. Remember, no one else will teach them. Take a verse of the scripture and keep expounding on it for a week. It helps. We were reviewing Luke 6:31 when my conversation with my daughter happened.
Now to Daddy- What will your children say that you taught them? Do you know that you are already teaching them something by not teaching them. You are teaching them that fathering is only about going to work early, coming back late, eating dinner and talking about bills.
Dear Daddy, do not bribe your seeds with gifts to cover up for the guilt you feel about your shortcoming. Money is a waste to a generation that was not raised. Sit down with them so they can stand for God and you can smile at your outstanding children. Find 15 minutes in a day to teach them. Lay hands on them.
Hear the words of Proverbs:
My child, remember my teachings and instructions and obey them completely. They will help you live a long and prosperous life.
Proverbs 3:1-2 CEV
Daddy, what teachings will your seed remember? What instructions will be engraved on their heart? Will you do it or should TV, Social Media and Cartoons take your place?