One of the strangest things that happens in the insect world is that a desert spider named the Stegodyphus lineatus sacrifices herself for the welfare of her young shortly after they hatch.
This practice is known as matriphagy. Here’s what the April Journal of Arachnology (who know there was such a thing) says:
Here’s what I read about her: “Found in the semi-arid regions of Israel and other parts of the Mediterranean’s, this mother spins her web in shrubbery and creates a silk disk that contains 70-80 eggs . When the babies emerge, they crawl all over her head and begin to consume her. She makes no attempt to escape, and they feast on everything she is except her heart. (There's got to be a supernatural message from that natural reality)
They leave it alone. Yet, from their consumption, they are provided the necessary nourishment to live and experience life.”
Transition:
In the world of Motherhood, I hope you ladies do not feel that you are being “eaten alive like a desert spider” but I do know that daily your life is marked by endless self-sacrifice for your families and that you do it willingly because of your deep love for others.
Someone said: “It’s appropriate that you cannot spell mother’s with out understanding that the title is spelled o-t-h-e-r-s; there’s just a “m” on the front of it.
As we thumb through the first pages of Genesis, we discover that after God formed the world out of what He describes as chaotic nothingness, God spoke emerging from the “void of absolute darkness” came a sudden burst of light and the unraveling of matter.
Yet, following 5 days of formation of life, plants, animals, birds God saved the best for the last; He created man on the 6th day, and at what appears to be the end of that day, he created the woman and formed a family.
Both were born without birth certificates nor were they given a marriage license; instead, both were formed, created, and called together as a team to reflect God’s great gift of love for a lifetime.
Through this glorious union, God formed the first institution on earth; it was called “the family.”
Today, we are going to revisit one of the foundational passages that Christian families are built upon. Through its instructive and inspirational message, we can see why the family is so important to God, as well as you and me.
Transitional Sentence: Why does God want everyone to have a Christian family? Why do we all need one?
I. Christian Families Help Develop Spiritual Appetites
vs, 6- “Train up a child in the way he should go…”
Explanation:
When we look into a mirror, we see physical resemblances and facial features that reflect the image of our mom’s and Dad’s.
I read an article this week from People Magazine that was entitled: “ Celebrity kids that stoke their parents’ whole faces.”
Here were my favorites:
1. Clint Eastwood and his son, Scott Eastwood
2. Mark Consuelos and his son, Michael
3. Ice Cube and his son, O’Shea
Yet, when we look beyond the mirror into the worldview we adopt, the life choices we often make, the staples of our daily living, and the spirit in our heart they are often a reflection of those traits of our parents as well.
Being part of a Christian family begins best when a couple decides as Joshua did as the spoke of his family and said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
The Book of Proverbs is known as the Book of Wisdom. In the Bible this should be one of the first places we go to gain insight about life and living; and in the case of the family; it has a lot to say about building a godly family.
In verse 6, we read: “Train up” a child in the way he should go.
The Hebrew phrase used here referred to the palate or roof of a baby’s mouth. It was used to describe what a Hebrew midwife would do when a baby was born.
She would dip her fingers in a sour fruit serum made from crushed dates and would massage the babies’ gums with the sour serum. The tangy serum would create a sensation for sucking causing the baby to easily respond to taking in nutrition from its mother.
Basically, the midwife was creating an appetite and response in the child quickly after birth.
In the same way, a Christian family “trains up” a child through a quick and consistent introduction to God’s Word. We do not create the hunger; but we help develop it.
This is why I Peter commands us to : “Desire the pure milk of God’s Word.” I Peter 2:2
It is interesting that this verse commands us to have a desire. Do you know how the desire for God’s Word begins? It begins with someone helping us get a taste of it. As a result, we help develop the desire it, with hope and faith that our introduction will create a desire.
The same idea is introduced to us by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus says: “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6
Illustration: Ruth Graham- A Momma’s desire
Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth Bell Graham reflected on this verse when she had two children that rebelled and refused to follow Jesus.
While she struggled wandering if she had done something wrong, she said: “I sought to create a spiritual hunger in my children but two rebelled. It was then that God reminded me: We must do all we can that is possible to lead our children to Jesus but trust God for the impossible. We are love, affirm, encourage, teach, listen, and care for the physical and spiritual needs of our family. But we cannot convict of sin, create hunger and thirst after God, or convert. These are miracles and miracles are not Mom’s department—It’s ultimately God’s.
Application:
A Christian family doesn’t create the hunger but it sure does provide plenty of tasting opportunities for their children to respond to God who helps create an appetite for God and His Word.
In 2005 a Presidential candidate in Sri Lanka promised that if were elected, He would provide a high milk yielding cow to ensure that no Sri Lankan should ever go hungry again. He promised to completely wipe out starvation in Sri Lanka.
Yet, his opponent pointed out something interesting. He said: “Just because you provide the cow doesn’t mean that anyone will milk it.
In the Christian family we provide the source for spiritual nourishment with expectation that each family member will go to it and find in what it has provided; a true source of life for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.
That’s why everyone needs a Christian family; we all need someone to lead us into the way of life.
Transitional Sentence: Why does God want everyone to have a Christian family? Why do we all need one?
II. Christian Families Help Set Moral Boundaries
vs. 6- “ …and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Explanation:
Proverbs 14:12 says: “There is a way (path) that seems right to a man, but it’s end is the way of death.” Never is this truer than when it comes to the spiritual path that we choose in life.
Everyone has had a time in their life when they’ve gotten off course, taken a wrong turn, or needed a course correction. This is my correction and discipline are part of God’s Fatherhood in our life.
In reflection of God’s love and discipline, God calls Christian parents to discipline their children and help children understand what is right and wrong in life.
In verse 6, the Bible says: “and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The word “old” is a Hebrew word that means: “hair on the chin.” In other words, when he reaches puberty; the scriptures will consistently present in his mind.
The idea is that when children are born, they are not complete. They need training. They need boundaries and lines drawn so that they can learn to take responsibility for their own actions.
Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 .
The word “meek” gives the picture of a horse that has been broken. It is controlled by its master and is useful and peaceful once boundaries or set for it.
Children need boundaries and without them children seek to control others, while they are out of control themselves.
Illustration: James Dobson, the boy at the dentist
James Dobson told the story about a pediatrician friend who had a young boy named Robert in his office often.
The boy was out of control , manipulative, and on the edge of being violent to everyone.
The pediatrician noticed that the boy had cavities, yet his mother told the doctor that no dentist could get the boy to sit and get his treatment. In turn, the doctor recommended a local pediatric dentist that was good with children.
When the boy arrived at the dentist office and was brought back to the examination room, he refused to sit down and said: “If you make me sit in that chair, I am going to take my clothes off.”
The dentist said: “If that’s what it takes for us to get you the treatment you need, take them off.” The boy stripped down to his underwear.
The dentist said: “Great, have a seat.” The boy surprised that his actions did not phase the dentist said: “If you make me sit in that chair, I am taking the rest of my clothes off.” The dentist said: “If that’s what it takes for us to get you the treatment you need, go for it.”
Sure enough, the boy stripped down naked and sat in the chair. The doctor treated the boy and told him he could leave. The boy said: “I need my clothes back.” To which the dentist said: “Son we’ve thrown away your clothes since you didn’t need them, but if your mother comes back tomorrow, we will get them out of the dumpster and have them for her to pick up.”
The boy had no choice but to return home as naked as the day he was born.
The next day, the mother returned and said: “Thank you for not giving in and returning his clothes. He has always threatened to take his clothes off in public if we did not give him what he wanted; this is the first time he understood that there are consequences for his actions.”
Application:
This might seem extreme, but Dobson said, “Better to learn there are consequences for one’s actions as a child as opposed to an adult.”
The window of opportunity for setting guidelines, parameters, and scriptures in their heart is before (according to Proverbs 22:6) before a boy has “hair on their chin”
Psychologists explain, “Moral boundaries need to be established early in child development because it is in teenage years when these boundaries are tested and tried.”
It’s interesting that some parents would never consider allowing a child to be left on their own to make decisions relating to their physical development, they neglect to see the importance of taking watch care over their spiritual development.
Let me explain: Left to the own, do you think children would naturally choose candy for supper or broccoli for supper? Do you think that would naturally take a shower and brush their teeth or skip it for a week?
Furthermore, would children naturally play video games all night or do their homework?
I’m now a grandparent and I thought: Do you know what your children would experience if they did not have boundaries? It would like living in their grandparents’ house all the time. ?
We grandparents enjoy the little angels when they come over and after they are spoiled, we send the little devil’s home don’t we?
Parents prepare children for a vibrant future by giving careful watch care over their children. Yet, this should not be limited to the physical things in life; there is also a Biblical calling to prepare them spiritually for life; to set spiritual boundaries and to raise them and nurture them to serve, worship, and follow Jesus.
In verse 4 God promises: “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life.”
Furthermore, Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6
Christian families understand this so they raise them in the way they should go; and that’s Jesus’s way, for (as Peter said) “To whom else can we go, for you (Jesus) have the words of eternal life.” John 6:67
Christian parents prepare their kids for abundant life and eternal life by leading them down the path of following Jesus.
Transitional Sentence: Why does God want everyone to have a Christian family? Why do we all need one?
III. Christian Families Affirm Intrinsic Human Value
vs. 1-2- A good name is more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold, the rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all.”
Explanation:
If you understand God, you will understand how He feels about you and me. He places high value on each of us. As a matter of fact, we are all created in God’s image and likeness.
This means that God looks at us even deeper and wider than a mom or Dad. He sees Himself mirrored in how He created you. He created you with many of His attributes. We are created with a capacity to love, desire goodness, to be able to reason, and with a soul that can know and experience a living relationship with God our Creator.
In verse 2 the Bible says: “The rich and the poor have a common bond, The Lord is the maker of them all.”
This is one of the reasons why we as Christians stand for the unborn; they are conceived with a soul that is eternal and created to know and experience God in this life.
Every name matters to God. As a matter of fact, Jesus died to invite us to be part of God’s family. Those who are His even have their names written in the Lambs Book of Life. Jesus said: “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20
God wants our names to not only be written in heaven, but to make a strong statement on earth. Our names matter. When people say our name, a thought comes to their mind; in a Christian’s life we want to be a good name that has impact on others to point them to Jesus.
Bill Glass spoke at a crowded Florida prison and asked each prisoner: “How many of you men had a parent that told you that you were worthless and would end up in prison one day?” Every one of them raised their hand.
One of the reasons why we celebrate Mother’s Day one day a year is to declare the value of our mothers and how grateful we are for them and love them.
Yet, in the Christian home, your value (Mom) goes beyond a one-day celebration; it’s continual.
Yet, it is not limited to just Mom’s; it’s true about every member of the family. Life would not be as rich and deep without you.
God feels the same about you in His family; that’s why Jesus did the unimaginable and came to die for you and me. He basically was saying: “I’d rather die than to be without you.”
That’s the gospel and that’s what Christian families build their homes upon, the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Conclusion:
Bejamin West was a brilliant painter of the American Revolution. When he was asked, “What made you realize that you were created by God to be a painter?”
Benjamin quickly responded: “As a child, my mother left me to baby sit my sister Sally. While she was gone, I decided to get out ink and paper and draw a picture of my sister Sally.
Wests picture of Sally
When my mother came home, ink was all over the table, but she looked at my picture and said: It’s Sally! Then she told me, “You and Sally are two of God’s greatest gifts in my life. Then she kissed me on the forehead.
(Then He said) “It was not my talent that made me a painter, it was my mother’s kiss made me a painter.”
In the Christian family, not everyone has the same intellect, talent, ability, attractiveness, or anything else that makes one more valuable than another--- it’s how He sees us that bleeds over into our family life that God uses best to change the trajectory of our lives.
Life always starts with Jesus Christ… the author and maker of all things; even the Christ-filled home.
