At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.

Before Jesus ever began his ministry on earth; before he ever gave a sermon or performed a miracle, his father made sure everyone knew that this is HIS SON, whom HE LOVES, and the he is WELL PLEASED with him.  If you are a parent, then you know that you have never loved anything more than your child – sometimes I wonder where all of that love came from that I feel for Cole.  Make sure you tell your children (and everyone else for that matter) that you love your kids, you are proud of them, and nothing they do can change that.  It is so important that your kids don’t feel like they have to prove themselves to you in order to earn your love.

Follow the Master’s example and love your kids unconditionally, and never make them prove anything to you to earn your love.

Back to the story. As I was talking to this prospective client, she was telling me about her husbands unfaithfulness, how they had not had a loving marriage, the effect it was having on their four year old son, the fact that since their son was born they had not had sex and the husband has spent most of the time on the road (allegedly to make more money for the family). As we got a little deeper, I found out that the dad’s parents were divorced when the dad was the same age as his child is now.

I could only feel sorrow for their child. What kind of example are they setting for him? They are setting him up to be just like his dad and grandfather because the boy’s actual father is not showing him how to love a woman, but rather he is teaching the son how to do what feels good now.

The Bible tells us that the future generations will pay for the sins of this generation. Basically, our children will reap what we sow. The Bible tells us in Numbers 13-14 that God told Moses to send out 12 scouts to check out Canaan, the promised land. They receive a report from ten of their scouts who tell them that the “promised land” is going to be impossible for them to obtain. That there are giants, the cities are well fortified and there is no way they can defeat them. The people of Israel were grumbling and talking bad about Moses and Aaron. They forgot all of the things that God had done for them in taking them out of slavery in Egypt and it really ticked God off. So he punished the people of Israel.

In Numbers 14: 29-32, the Bible reports:

In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But you—your bodies will fall in this desert.

Finally, on point with this post, God punished the younger generation of the Israelites, the children for the sin of their parents stating, Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert (Numbers 14: 33).

I guess this is more of a warning than anything else – especially if you have children. You are no longer living for yourself. You are not the only one who reaps the benefits and consequences of your actions. You are leaving a legacy for the future generation and you have the ability to cause shame, pain and punishment on your future generations without having any intent to do so. Choose to set a good example. Choose to be a leader for your child. Show them how to love God and then love their spouse. Show them how to be financially responsible and how to work hard.