Passing the Batan

Passing the Batan
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 by Linda Wood Rondeau

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH lUCERTO VIA UNSPLASH

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:7 NIV)

“I brought you up better than that.”

“That’s not what I taught you.”

These laments are often said by parents of adult children who we feel have strayed from our teaching. Sometimes our children reject what we try to instill in them. But more often than not, the truths we diligently taught them tend to stick with them when they’re older.

I sometimes laugh when my children moan about a behavior issue with their child. Sometimes, correcting them was the very method I used when bringing them up. I tell them not to worry. “I know a kid like that and guess what? They grew up to be one different parent.”

Yet, many of us will not see the complete ripple impact of our teaching.

We may have come to faith at a much older age after our children are grown. We worry if our damaged lives will permanently scare those God gave us before we knew Him.

Take heart.

We can still pass on the baton of faith as our children see how God has changed us, molded us, and given us a new purpose. They may be skeptical for a while. But the Lord has ways of breaking down these barriers of mistrust as His light shines through us.

More than knowledge gained as we sat our children on the couch and lectured to them, the evidence of our spirit-filled life will do more for our legacy than any method of instruction.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16 NIV).