silence due to indecision is different than being decisive yet choosing to be silent, that is confidence! -k
copyrighted...kalpna chrsitian sharma
copyrighted...kalpna chrsitian sharma
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Reading and learning from the weak Fathers' roles in the old times
I have been reading the book of 1st Samuel in the Bible and its interesting to note that Eli the priest was a godly man but he failed in his role as a diciplining father. Twice God sends a message, 1st that 'he honored his sons more than God and did not rebuke them' and 2nd time He talks to young Samuel that 'Eli knew the problem and failed to restrain his sons.'
His sons were perverting justice and did not walk in the ways of the LORD. Even though just few verses before, we see that Eli is 'gently rebuking' the sons, it does not work by now as the Lord has decided to put an end to the roles Eli's family will be playing. His family is rejected and severe punishment from the Lord fell on Eli's household of male dying in the prime of life; and if they survived they would be not straight forward.
More interesting thing is that inspite of such environment, Samuel (the handed over child) turns out to be godly. He is not influenced by Eli's grown up sons. Samuel seemed to have followed in Eli's foot steps in terms of godliness but interestingly enough, Samuel also seemed to have followed Eli's route when it came to being in a fatherly role. Samuel's sons also did not walk in the ways of the LORD and they too perverted justice, to an extent that people came and asked for a king, as Samuel was now getting old and his sons were not forthright. (the infrastructure of the society was going to change drastically at that time for this ethnic group of people)
Samuel annoints Saul as the 1st king of Israel as per God's instruction. Saul is ordained as a king; a king who also does not heed to authorities. He was neither a good king nor a good father.
later, David too, annointed by Samuel, happens to be a godly man in many areas of his life, who started out well, but when it came to his fatherly role, he failed terribly. His daughter suffered incest at the hand of a lust driven step brother and David did nothing. His sons were not living right and David is not able to restrain them nor discipline them.
As thankful as we are for Proverbs, Song of songs, and Eccleciastes books, Solomon too failed to train and teach his son/s(!) the godly ways and the story goes on. Rest of the kings and prophets are a long story we still need to dig into.
This is one of the reasons, i continue to admire the parents of John the Baptist and also Mary and Joseph.
no1. This is God's story and God allows us to live for him. 2. When we sin, we are responsible for the sins we commit. 3. We will still be judged by God for our parental role and are accountable to God who puts children in our care. 4. It is important that we teach, train up, discipline the next generation and impart godly values. 5. introspect and see where do we fail as parents? what are we compromising, and what inauthenticity our children see in us that they do not want to follow the Lord? 6. humble ourselves before God and ask his help like samson's parents did, in how are we to raise these children? though samson didnt turn out to be moral in his living, God used his life to bring about the purposes that He had in mind. How blessed samson's life would have been had he chosen to live morally above his own weak human desires and learnt self control? but that is samson's choice. Parents job today is more challenging and we need to take it seriously. We must honor God more than other things and people and if and when required, rebuke, train and teach our kids godly ways despite of what the culture tries to imply, impose, mock and make us to do. Jesus said, "if you honor others, even your own family more than me, you are not worthy of me" even when this is used so many times out of context to suit the leaving of children and famliies to make mission field another career opportunity at times, i see this verse more so in line with what God told Eli, that we are not to honor our children or parents or spouses or other family members more than God, that means, when they are not walking in God's ways, or when they dont pursue righteousness, we are not to enable them in the name of 'loving' and accepting' while abusing 'grace'. Love means discipline, correct, instruct, admonish, nurture.
Let us encourage one another to live godly lives and be good role models. Given in our care the lives of these precious souls, teaching the word of truth, let us be good role models.
Copyrights by Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)
His sons were perverting justice and did not walk in the ways of the LORD. Even though just few verses before, we see that Eli is 'gently rebuking' the sons, it does not work by now as the Lord has decided to put an end to the roles Eli's family will be playing. His family is rejected and severe punishment from the Lord fell on Eli's household of male dying in the prime of life; and if they survived they would be not straight forward.
More interesting thing is that inspite of such environment, Samuel (the handed over child) turns out to be godly. He is not influenced by Eli's grown up sons. Samuel seemed to have followed in Eli's foot steps in terms of godliness but interestingly enough, Samuel also seemed to have followed Eli's route when it came to being in a fatherly role. Samuel's sons also did not walk in the ways of the LORD and they too perverted justice, to an extent that people came and asked for a king, as Samuel was now getting old and his sons were not forthright. (the infrastructure of the society was going to change drastically at that time for this ethnic group of people)
Samuel annoints Saul as the 1st king of Israel as per God's instruction. Saul is ordained as a king; a king who also does not heed to authorities. He was neither a good king nor a good father.
later, David too, annointed by Samuel, happens to be a godly man in many areas of his life, who started out well, but when it came to his fatherly role, he failed terribly. His daughter suffered incest at the hand of a lust driven step brother and David did nothing. His sons were not living right and David is not able to restrain them nor discipline them.
As thankful as we are for Proverbs, Song of songs, and Eccleciastes books, Solomon too failed to train and teach his son/s(!) the godly ways and the story goes on. Rest of the kings and prophets are a long story we still need to dig into.
This is one of the reasons, i continue to admire the parents of John the Baptist and also Mary and Joseph.
no1. This is God's story and God allows us to live for him. 2. When we sin, we are responsible for the sins we commit. 3. We will still be judged by God for our parental role and are accountable to God who puts children in our care. 4. It is important that we teach, train up, discipline the next generation and impart godly values. 5. introspect and see where do we fail as parents? what are we compromising, and what inauthenticity our children see in us that they do not want to follow the Lord? 6. humble ourselves before God and ask his help like samson's parents did, in how are we to raise these children? though samson didnt turn out to be moral in his living, God used his life to bring about the purposes that He had in mind. How blessed samson's life would have been had he chosen to live morally above his own weak human desires and learnt self control? but that is samson's choice. Parents job today is more challenging and we need to take it seriously. We must honor God more than other things and people and if and when required, rebuke, train and teach our kids godly ways despite of what the culture tries to imply, impose, mock and make us to do. Jesus said, "if you honor others, even your own family more than me, you are not worthy of me" even when this is used so many times out of context to suit the leaving of children and famliies to make mission field another career opportunity at times, i see this verse more so in line with what God told Eli, that we are not to honor our children or parents or spouses or other family members more than God, that means, when they are not walking in God's ways, or when they dont pursue righteousness, we are not to enable them in the name of 'loving' and accepting' while abusing 'grace'. Love means discipline, correct, instruct, admonish, nurture.
Let us encourage one another to live godly lives and be good role models. Given in our care the lives of these precious souls, teaching the word of truth, let us be good role models.
Copyrights by Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)
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