The Weekly Focal Point - October 8
Relating Skillfully
The book of Proverbs sets before us several thought provoking and inspired truths that can and should have a significant impact on how we “wisely” relate to one another. Take for instance the curious and seemingly obvious proverb that reads: “If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse” (Pr.27:14). Consider how often our judgment is skewed by our own set of personal preferences, propensities and inclinations. In our subjectivity, we tend to think that if we would appreciate “this or that” so would everyone else. But this is clearly not the case. It becomes obvious when people from various backgrounds and different ages seek to live harmoniously in the body of Christ. And, of course, who can overstate this proverb’s importance amid the challenge of marriage and parenting? We are not all the same. What I would consider an act of love or encouragement may not be received as such by someone else. Real Christian love is a thoughtful endeavor. We must work to care for one another with an intelligent and considerate love. “How will this be received?” “What would really be understood as helpful to him?” “How does she respond to this kind of encouragement?” These are the kinds of critical questions we must ask ourselves. More than avoiding the obvious (e.g., morning people shouldn’t call night owls at 7 AM and men shouldn’t give tools as anniversary gifts), we should seek to be skillful in the way we relate to one another. This will please God and will make the church and our homes what God intended them to be.
-- Pastor Mike
Passing on a spiritual legacy to our children and grandchildren is a critical task of Christian parents and grandparents. When we look at the sad spiritual state of the Israelites in Judges after the death of Joshua, we see a failure of one generation to pass on the knowledge of God to the next. The writer of Judges says multiple times, "There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).
At Focal Point, we want to help you in passing on the knowledge of God to the next generation. That's why we have chosen a rich resource called, Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God. We trust this book will be a valuable tool in the task of training up your children
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