“Keep it
up mamas -- keep teaching, guiding, setting high expectations. Keep talking even when they don’t seem to be
listening. And most of all, live it out
in front of them. In our world of
cut-throat competition, there’s still room for Godly character.”
~ Kristy
Ray Parrott
During this season, we are
once again reminded of the importance of intentional training, modeling, and offering
opportunities to our children, grandchildren, and others to put into practice
what is being taught. May the lessons be
so instilled in their hearts and minds, that they become the natural response
when situations arise.
Abel Mutai from Kenya and
Ivan Fernandez Anaya, a Spanish runner, were in first and second place in the running
race. Mutai was the bronze medalist in
the 3,000-meter steeplechase, at the London Olympics, so being in second place
in the race was quite a feat for Anaya. As
the runners were approaching the end of the race, Ivan noticed that Mutai
started slowing down about 10 meters short of the Finish Line. Due to confusing signage, he thought he had
completed and won the race. Realizing
what was happening, this could have been Anaya’s big chance to run ahead and
win the race. Instead, he caught up with
Mutai and yelled at him to keep running.
Not understanding Spanish, Mutai was still perplexed about what to
do. Anaya continued to wave his arms,
gesture, and point his opponent to the real Finish Line. As they ran together, Anaya allowed Mutai to
cross first.
When interviewed and asked
about his response, Ivan Fernandez Anaya responded, “He was the rightful
winner. He created a gap that I couldn’t
have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake.
As soon as I saw he was stopping, I knew I wasn’t going to pass
him.” Another journalist asked Ivan why
he did that. Ivan replied, “My dream is
that someday we can have that kind of community life.” The journalist pressed on and still wanted to
know why he let the Kenyan win. Ivan
responded, “I didn’t let him win, he was going to win.” The journalist looked at him and said, “But
you could have won!” Anaya looked at him
and then responded, “But what would the merit be of my victory? What would be the honour of that medal? What would my Mom think of that?”
Values are instilled,
modeled, and lived out from generation to generation. The ways we invest in and teach our children,
grandchildren, and others has the potential for making a difference in our
world for these days and the years beyond.
If we are not intentionally teaching our children God’s way, the world
will step in and teach them its ways.
Which voice will they hear louder, when decisions need to be made?
Hear, O
Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give
you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about
them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down
and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Start
children off the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not
turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Fathers,
do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
No comments:
Post a Comment