Don't Live for the Dot

We've just come back from a 2 day seminar titled "Integrating Family and Church Life". I've never felt more educated and challenged in my 25 years of education.

These are some key learning and transformational points for me:

1) Don't live for the dot - the dot signifies this life on planet earth in reference to the vast universe God has created and to eternity. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Don't spend time and effort trying to fill in the dot, that's just too insignificant. We are made in the image of God, so we're image-bearers of what God looks like. That means we're meant for greatness and to live 'epic lives', as Moses Tey, the speaker described it. We should live, and spend time and effort building for eternity.

2) At what age is one considered an adult? Is it at the legal age of 18 or 21? The answer to the question changes one's entire perspective on the teenage years, which are often known as the turbulent times. Before the industrial revolution and before formal school was introduced ( about 150 years ago), there was no such thing as teenage rebellion. At 12 years old, children were considered, and treated as adults. They possessed the maturity and wisdom needed to run a household and hold important responsibilities. In the Bible, Jesus was in the temple discussing theology with the rabbis at 12 yrs old. Daniel and his friends, Joseph, were about 13-14 years old when they were captured and taken into exile and sold into slavery. Yet, at this age, they were able to stand up for their faith and provide leadership that changed the course of history and save their nations.

This was really enlightening for me. I've gone through 'teenage rebellion' myself, and I've been very intimidated by teenagers nowadays. They dress and look much more 'grown up', get into relationships and have pre-marital sex once they reach adolescence. Yet, they are so childish in their ways and thinking, and for that matter, even adults can be so childish and immature. And that is because they are supposed to be adults, but are not trained in the educational system and by their families to be mature. This begs the question, " What is maturity?" Is it the ability to hold down a job, raise a family, be a decent person? My dear husband just answered this brilliantly. To him, maturity is bearing the image of Christ so well and clearly; it is truly living the life that shows and says, " it is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me."

I don't have to expect teenage rebellion from my children. I can expect them to do great things for God in their youth instead.

3) 'Imitate me as I imitate Christ' - Paul said this, and it embodies what discipling means. I am discipling my children as they imitate me as I imitate Christ. To me, that means I have not, and will not be perfect in my parenting, but as I walk and journey with Christ, my children will see that it is a living relationship and we will grow together in our journey to know Him and make Him known.