Integrity – Blessed Families
“The righteous who walks in his integrity
— blessed are his children after him!”
Proverbs 20:7 (ESV)
INTEGRITY
“So speak ye and so do”
James 2:12
The above scripture may be the clearest definition of integrity. It is a description of one whose inward life correlates with the outward one. In our earnest pursuit of an authentic walk, the words of our mouth are validated by the life we live. This lifelong quest is one filled with moments of inconsistencies and failure; having the integrity to acknowledge our deficiencies as a means of our growth in God is a vital lesson for our children that they may see the grace of God still at work in our own lives.
Integrity – Blessed Families
Integrity as parents does not mean that everything we do is right. Rather we walk in an authenticity that is communicated to our children. Parenting is a very demanding and often a heart-wrenching experience. We quickly discover our own lack of wisdom, our own selfishness, and above all our need to learn from our heavenly Father. Parenthood offers an opportunity to grow and develop in wisdom. Despite our mistakes, shortcomings, and our own ignorance, it is critical that our walk communicates our relationship with Christ in a way that is understood by our children. Duplicity, hypocrisy, and deceit are most damaging to them. The greatest sermon to our children is the one we live. Mistakes and personal faults are inevitable in our dealings within our families and without. It is what we DO with them that determines the blessings we pass on to our children.
Strong families are the bedrock of the Church of Jesus Christ. It is from godly homes that the next generation of ministry should arise.
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also…”
2 Timothy 1:5
It was “unfeigned faith“ that resulted in a trans-generational impartation of living faith to Timothy who in turn had a profound impact on the Body of Christ. How desperately the church, both locally and globally, is in need of this powerful truth.
♥
“Train up a child in the way he should go –
but be sure you go that way yourself”
Charles Spurgeon
Brian Troxel
Amen!
My grandfathers, on both sides, began to follow Christ. My dads father was very abusive. Most of that changed dramatically. My parents walked with the Lord and raised us and exampled that way. Our kids walk with the Lord as they raise families of their own as well as our handicapped daughter. My cousins who follow the Lord are very blessed in so many ways. Good marriages, jobs, good relational families and so on. My cousins who veered from following the Lord were recaptured into the old ways of our family history. Abusive, drunks, many spouses or live-in’s, children on drugs, anger issues and some are in jail for a long time. We are living out the stark (extreme) contrast in our families…”Choose you this day whom you will serve.”
What a difference HE makes! The rewards of grace are evidenced in those who follow Him.
Blessings brother.
BT