Three steps to a pure life….

I’ve been trying to lose weight for years. Exercise and better eating has helped, but it is a long journey. The TV show “Biggest Loser” chronicles the weight loss of contestants. One contestant is voted off each week. On last weeks episode a team lost the weigh in on purpose so one of them could go home. He’d had enough. Their trainer, Bob, made a profound statement after they weighed in.

I’ve been trying to lose weight for years. Exercise and better eating has helped, but it is a long journey. The TV show “Biggest Loser” chronicles the weight loss of contestants. One contestant is voted off each week. On last weeks episode a team lost the weigh in on purpose so one of them could go home. He’d had enough. Their trainer, Bob, made a profound statement after they weighed in. He said “You have to change your thinking, your diet, and your exercise, in that order.” That is backwards from any weight loss program I’ve ever seen or heard. Most say to count this or that, assign points to one thing or another, or eat more lettuce than a herd of rabbits, if there is such a thing. None have said to change your thinking first.

A few weeks ago, Sarah commented on my blog “Deep and Wide.” She made me think again about how children, and for that matter, all of us learn. Sarah echoed conversations I have regularly with pastors and lay workers. It goes something like this: “We teach them the Bible, they know all the right answers, and they still aren’t living for God. We need to try something different.” Perhaps we need to change our understanding of how we learn God’s instructions and implement them in our lives.

Psalm 119:9-14 says “How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions! With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands! In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.”

According to the Psalmist, there are basically three steps in maintaining a pure life. Step one is storing up God’s words. This tells us the value of Scripture memory and of a basic understanding of the story of God’s word. Step two is seeking God with all of our hearts. Step three is making a conscious decision to guard our lives based upon what we have learned about God’s will. Both steps two and three are acts of the will.

So, how do we make sure that all these learning pieces are happening in our children’s lives or in those we minister to? Typically, one of two approaches is used in churches today. First, “ram it in, cram it in, fill ‘em full of facts” is tried. After all, God’s word changes lives, right? However, without a change of thinking that affects the heart, this is empty and fruitless. A second approach is to avoid lots of Bible facts and substitute things that make the heart feel good. This approach leads to a shallow understanding of God, and limits the spiritual growth potential of kids. At the end of the day, both of these approaches lead to failure; the first is legalistic, the second is shallow.

We need to do both. We need to teach kids what God says in His word. We are commanded to memorize and know the truths of God’s word. This is the easy part. But how do we help kids change their thinking about God, so they begin to seek Him and guard their lives based upon what they know? I don’t pretend to have the answer for a question that is asked by so many of us. However, I will share a few traits I have observed in families where kids have followed the Lord into their adulthood.

1. Authenticity – Parents who have authentic faith and model it for their children.
2. Transparency – Parents who are transparent. Their children get to see God work in their lives, in good times and bad.
3. Priority – Parents who understand that their children’s spiritual wellbeing is all that matters down the road. Ultimate happiness doesn’t come from kicking a soccer ball well, or stealing more bases than anyone else. Ultimate happiness comes from peace with God.
4. Consistency – Sunday morning and the rest of the week look the same.

We must help young people to get the order right. Pastor Shawn Thornton says that we must, in this order, “Think right, do right, and then we will feel right.” Lets help kids change their thinking by teaching them God’s word, modeling it, and making it the guiding force in our own lives. Perhaps then they will make the decision to guard their lives based upon what they know about the God they love.