Set The Right Example!

‘He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.’ 2 Chronicles 26:4 NIV

The punch line in a cartoon reads, ‘No matter what we teach our children, they insist on behaving just like us!’ We smile, but it’s a very serious matter. One expert says, ‘We teach what we know, but we reproduce what we are.’ Your children may sometimes doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do. So:

(1) If you want them to have a quiet time with God, you have one.

(2) If you want your children to be in church, take them, don’t send them.

(3) If you don’t want your children using foul language, watch what comes out of your mouth.

(4) If you don’t want your children to smoke, drink, or do drugs, you leave them alone.

When you say one thing but do another your children may still love you, but eventually they’ll lose respect for you. And what’s worse, they’ll think, ‘If the principles you preach don’t work for you, why should I try them?’ Your example will have more impact than all your exhortations. Read these two Scriptures carefully. The first is found in the Old Testament: ‘He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.’ The second is found in the New Testament: ‘I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.’ (2 Timothy 1:5 NIV) Thousands of years separate those two Scriptures, but the truth they teach is timeless: so set the right example!

树立正确的榜样！

乌西雅行耶和华眼中看为正的事，效法他父亚玛谢一切所行的。历代志下26:4

一部卡通片中说到：“不管我们想要教给我们的孩子什么，他们最愿意学我们！” 我们对此可能会一笑置之，但这却是一个非常严肃的问题。一位专家说：“我们会把我们所知道的教给孩子，但我们是什么样，却会复制到孩子身上。” 你的孩子有时会怀疑你说的话，但他们会永远相信你所做的。所以：

（1）如果你想让他们与神有美好的时光，那么你自己应该首先有这样的时光。

（2）如果你想让你的孩子们常常去教会，那么你应该带上他们一起去，而不只是送他们过去。

（3）如果你不想让你的孩子说脏话，那么你就先管住自己的嘴。

（4）如果你不想让你的孩子抽烟、喝酒或吸毒，那么你就要多陪伴他们。

如果你总是说一套做一套，你的孩子可能会仍然爱你，但最终会失去对你的尊重。更糟糕的是，他们会想：“如果你所宣称的原则对你自己都不顶用，我为什么要试一试呢？” 所以你的榜样作用远比你所有的劝告更有影响力。

仔细读读这两节经文：第一句在旧约，“乌西雅行耶和华眼中看为正的事，效法他父亚玛谢一切所行的。”（历代志下26:4）；第二句在新约，“想到你心里无伪之信。这信是先在你外祖母罗以，和你母亲友尼基心里的。我深信也在你的心里。”（提摩太后书1:5）几千年来，这两节经文是分开的，但它们所教导的真理却是永恒的：你要为孩子树立正确的榜样！