THINK TOGETHER.
What is your favorite food? Favorite TV show?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 25:28. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
If I left you alone in a room with your favorite food how much of it would you eat? If you could watch TV all day, how much would you watch? If nobody made you do your homework, how long would you go without doing any schoolwork?
When you are a child you are controlled by others. Mom and dad, teachers, pastors tell you what to do and when to do it. They make you clean your room, stop eating junk, do your schoolwork, turn off the TV. But as you grow up you must learn to have self-control. The ability to make your own goo choices.
Solomon says that a person without self-control (and yes there are many adults without self-control) is like a city without a wall. Back then a city without a wall would be attacked by enemies and destroyed very easily. The same is true for us spiritually. When we let anything and everything into our hearts and minds we are going to be attacked by foolish thoughts that make us think we can do whatever we want, even if it is not very loving, kind, or helpful. I can keep watching TV (not helpful). I can eat more of this junk (not helpful). I can stay angry and whine about things (not loving).
Jesus wants us to be loving and self-control is the first step to loving others. If you can't control yourself, and your own choices, how can you choose to love another person? You can't. The good news is that when Jesus lives inside of your heart he helps you to have self-control. That's why the Apostle Paul called self-control a fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). When the Holy Spirit gives you the love of Jesus, and when you know that Jesus loves you no matter what, then you can make loving choices too. You can have self-control from God's love.
Because of Jesus we know we are loved by God.
With Jesus we can control our choices and choose to love others as we are loved.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Ask your children where they need to show better self-control (encourage honesty with no judgment). Talk about how being loved and loving others can give us more self-control.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, I don't always have good self-control. Help me to make loving choices from your love and not just from fear of being punished. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment