D is for Do the Right Thing
Parent’s Corner- “For the Kids!” Series
Parent’s Corner began as a communication tool to inform parents what had been taught in Children’s Sunday school classes on a given Sunday morning, providing passages to read together and discussion questions to facilitate conversation between parents and their children during the week. We have just finished Year 3 of our curriculum series. The decision has been made to press “pause” in our Children’s ministry classes before beginning again with Year 1. While we are paused, I will be changing the focus of Parent’s Corner from curriculum notes, to teachable moments.
“For the Kids!”
This collection of topical journal entries will focus on teachable moments that parents can have with their kids. They will be grounded in Scripture, seasoned by stories and experiences, and distributed with love and prayers for many sweet times together as a family. In an effort to be organized and purposeful, I’ll be choosing topics by going through the alphabet. As I write this, please know that I don’t claim to have all of the answers. Not at all! What I do have is a genuine desire to have a teachable spirit, and a heart for the precious kiddos in our body.
D is for Do the Right Thing
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
Do you enjoy baking? I know we all enjoy the eating that comes after, but do you enjoy the process before the eating?
Do you like to put together Lego creations?
Do you like to paint by numbers?
What do all of these activities have in common? They all have very specific instructions that need to be followed in order for the end result to come out as planned.
My husband makes pizza nearly every week and has for the better part of our married years together. He didn’t start out making amazing pizza! The first attempts were not very successful. Dough stuck to the pans. Flour covered every surface of the kitchen (Warning- this is what happens when you decide to throw the dough!). One time, tablespoons of salt were added instead of teaspoons. Now THAT was a disaster! But that was early on. That was before he really knew the recipe. That was before he had had a lot of practice. That was before he really learned the process and had practiced it. Now, he can put together the dough and measure the ingredients by sight and feel. He is confident in the recipe and the process because he has practiced time and time again.
So, how do you know how to do the right thing? How do you know which choice is right and which option to avoid? Where do you go for the answers? (Hint, it’s the #2 most common answer to every Sunday School question)
The Bible! “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
When you are learning a new skill, a new sport, or a new subject in school, you need to practice. You need to read instructions carefully. You need to make sure you understand the words. You need to ask questions if you need clarification. You need to listen to your coaches, and you need practice. Lots of practice!
When you want to live your life to honor the Lord, you need to read your Bible. You need to read it again. You need to study the passages in smaller sections, and you need to understand the book as a whole. Who are your coaches? Your parents! Your pastor at church. Your Sunday school teacher. A trusted family friend or family member. If they know the Bible well, they can help you! But, they can only do so much. Does a coach play basketball with you during a game? No. Does a coach get in the pool and swim laps with you? Not in a meet. You need to do those things for yourself. You need to rely on the training you have received and put it into practice as you are able. Remember, even the best athletes in the world have coaches! Olympic athletes, NBA players, NFL teams. . . they all have coaches. They all strive to improve, and they all try their best.
Read your Bible today. Read the passage that was studied in church last Sunday. Read a Psalm. Read about a favorite person in the Bible. God has something to teach you, and instructions for how to live your life. Listen to Him. You can trust Him. He loves you, and wants you love Him too.
Here are some ways to practice doing the right thing this week. . .
1. Pick a recipe that you love and cook or bake together! Follow the directions, work together, and enjoy the finished product!
2. Have a kid give instructions to a parent about how do something. . . like how to play your favorite video game, how to put together an awesome Lego creation, or how to arrange the stuffed animals “just right” on your bed. You have skills! : )
3. As a family, talk about how you can encourage other to do the right thing. Do you want to come up with a Bible reading plan to do together? Do you want to set aside some time during the week to talk about the questions that you have?
4. There is a well-known slogan for Nike shoes. . . Just Do It! It doesn’t matter if you haven’t read your Bible in the past. . . just do it now!