Monkey See, Monkey Do?

by Mark Waltenbaugh

    Here's a set of commands that appear to have been quickly forgotten!

The LORD told me to give you these laws and teachings, so you can obey them in the land he is giving you. Soon you will cross the Jordan River and take that land. And if you and your descendants want to live a long time, you must always worship the LORD and obey his laws. Pay attention, Israel! Our ancestors worshiped the LORD, and he promised to give us this land that is rich with milk and honey. Be careful to obey him, and you will become a successful and powerful nation.

Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. Memorize his laws and put them on your heart. Tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates. (Deuteronomy 6:1-9)

    Example is a powerful teaching tool. It's much easier to know how something is done when we have opportunity to witnesses someone doing it. We teach by example all the time. In fact, our children are learning lessons by watching us that we may or may not want them to learn! There are times, though, when we rely far too much on example. Take, for instance, helping our children pursue a faithful relationship with the Lord.

The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:7,10)

    Are you kidding me? Knowledge of the Lord and of the Exodus and conquest gone in just one generation? How could it be? It wasn't because they weren't living by example... it says specifically that they (the generation just past) served the Lord. The problem must have been that they lived out an example but didn't verbally pass on their faith and experiences with God.

    Faithfully serving the Lord in your life is an important and necessary part of teaching your children about the Lord. But it can never, by itself, substitute for verbally passing on your faith and your beliefs. We need to constantly and consistently tell our children about the God we serve and what He's done and is doing for us.

    When you go against the flow to follow the will of God this week, let your children know why you've made the choice you've made -- give God the glory. When your son or daughter asks you about a moral or ethical issue, take them to the Scriptures to find the answer. When you get the opportunity to sit around and share stories with your kids, include several that tell about the wondrous works of God in your life. And as you're watching T.V. or listening to the radio, watch and listen for a chance to ask them how they think God reacts to the things they've just seen or heard... then take them to the Word to see what He really does think!

    Monkey see, monkey do might be right for monkeys, however, it's not the best formula for teaching our children about God. Example is a powerful teaching tool, but if we're not careful, it can lose the next generation to the world and all the other gods they follow!

Father, open our eyes to opportunities to speak for you and about you as we live and walk with our children. Urge us on to be good examples, but open our mouths to speak of your wonderful works as well! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Posted: 10/18/2001
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200110/20011018_monkeydo.html

(c) Copyright 2001, Mark Waltenbaugh, used by permission. From "The Online Devotional" mailing list. To join, send an email to <thedsmith@aol.com> with the subject "SUBSCRIBE TO DEVO."

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