Deuteronomy 6:1-9
These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 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. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Devotion
In Deuteronomy 5-7, Moses is giving a repetition and interpretation of the Ten Commandments. It is important to note that in this text, God’s love is actually expressed in law. The great principle of law is love. This is why Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments into two: love God and love your neighbor! We rightly express our love for God through obedience (see John 14:15). You will notice this theme of love and obedience throughout this passage.
In this text, parents are instructed to “keep all His decrees and commandments” so that they could pass on a godly heritage to their children and grandchildren. In verses 5-9, Moses gives specific instructions to parents. First, “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” It all begins with a genuine love for God that is marked by obedience. Children learn more by what they see than what they hear. The worst parenting advice I’ve ever heard was, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Then Moses talks about the importance of exercising godly influence in the lives of the children. He writes, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.” We can’t pass on what we don’t really have. When it comes to sincere spirituality, we can’t fake it. Children have a unique way of seeing through our hypocrisy. If we want to have spiritual influence in the lives of our children, then our faith must be genuine and noticeable.
Then Moses uses interesting language to describe the kind of influence we are supposed to have. He uses several verbs to express how parents are to exercise spiritual influence: impress, talk, teach, tie, bind, and write. God holds parents responsible to bring up their children to know and worship the One True God. God’s Word plays an integral part in this process. God’s Word was always to be kept before them! This means in word and deed. We must strive to have meaningful conversations with our children that reflect the heart of God.
This week we have seen the power and importance of positive influence. We must not abdicate our role as the number-one influence in our children’s lives. This is how we capture (influence) the heart and minds of our children. One of the best ways of ending racism is to pull it up by the roots. We must influence the next generation to pursue God and godly living. We must model for them what it means to love God and others.
Questions to Ponder:
Are you exercising godly influence in your relationship with others? Does your walk match your talk? As Christ’s ambassador, do you represent Him well? Are you passing on godly values to your children? Grandchildren? Do you show your love for God through obedience to His Word? Are you spiritual salt and light?
Prayer Points
- Ask the Lord to fill you, your family, our church family with His love.
- Tell God you want to love Him the way He loves you.
- Tell God that you need His love to overflow from you to others.
- Ask God to give you the strength and power to live out what you’re telling the people in your life is important to you and to God.
Suggested Prayer
God in heaven, You are love. Forgive me for not thinking very loving thoughts towards others. I have pushed people away. Merciful Father, grant me forgiveness for I am a sinner. I ask that You would grant me the ability to be an influencer in people’s live. Not for my own glory, but for Your glory. It’s all about You Jesus. Grant me the grace that I need to speak into the lives of my own kids, grandkids, family, and friends. Thank You for using me. I pray that You would use me even more! I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.