datethewordtest

Tag: Feb 26

  • How Are You Growing?

    1 Samuel 2:26 “And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.”

    We like to ask a person how are you doing.  How about asking how are you GROWING?  From the moment of birth, we expect a child to GROW physically. You take your newborn to the doctor and they do all types of measurements to determine if there is growth.  As the years pass we want to see a child grow up. In growing up we want more than physical growth but also intellectual growth.  And there is the emotional and social growth. 

    But is this all the growth we should be looking for in our child?

    When we come to the Bible, we find verses like 1 Samuel 2:26 along with Luke 2:52 (“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men”) that speak of growing.  We read of how the child Samuel GREW but more than marks on a doorpost to show he was getting taller, he was growing spiritually and relationally. As well, Jesus grew more than just physically and intellectually and relationally.  We read that He grew in favor with God

    Don’t miss a crucial area they grew in.  They grew spiritually.  

    A balanced growth plan needs to (MUST) have a spiritual growth plan.  However, it seems the other areas squeeze out the spiritual area.  As parents, we make sure our child does their homework and prepare for tests so that they do well academically.   As parents, we make sure our child is at practice and never misses a ball game.  As parents, we plan family and friend events.  As parents, (I now ask) are we making sure our child(ren) is being taught how to have a growing relationship with God?  Are we making sure they are having daily devotions?  Are we making sure they are at youth group?  Are we getting them signed up for Christian camps? 

    A spiritual growth plan does not happen accidentally. It happens intentionally.

    Okay – I will pause and ask again the pressing question. HOW ARE YOU GROWING and how are you growing your children and grandchildren?  Does your growth plan include growing in favor with God?  Does your growth plan for your children include spiritual growth?

    While many parents have their children learning skills for a job and/or a sport we must remember they need to learn skills for living (WISDOM) so they can know not just how to make a living but how to live, how to live a life for God!

    Continue Strong growing like Samuel and Jesus,
    And remember to DATE the Word  

  • A Balanced Growth Plan

    1 Samuel 2:26 “And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.”

    From the moment a child is born there is the expectation that the child will grow.  Growing physically is natural and necessary.  When we come to 1 Samuel 2:26 we read that the child Samuel was growing physically and that he was also growing spiritually and relationally. He was becoming a well-balanced child! 

    Reading about Samuel’s growth reminds us that the growth of a child is more than just physical.  Just as there must be attention to a child’s physical development, there must be attention given to the child’s spiritual development and relationship development.  Growing in all three of these areas does not come accidentally. There must be intentional work done by parents.  There must be intentional training and teaching.  Deuteronomy 6 teaches that parents are to teach their children the commandments of God.  In teaching the Ten Commandments you teach them first about a relationship with God and then a relationship with others.  The first four commandments are vertical.  A child learns to respect God. The last 6 commandments are horizontal.  A child learns to respect others.  And the first place they learn to respect others is in the home where they learn to respect their parents. When this training is done you should see along with physical growth that there will be spiritual growth and relational growth.   

    It is worth noting that Jesus grew as Samuel grew.  We find in Luke 2:52 Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.  

    For me, as a parent, a Christian educator, and as a pastor I use I Samuel 2:26 and more so Luke 2:52 to determine the crucial areas that I am to be focused on to bring about the total development of a child. In looking at Luke 2:52 we see there is the intellectual growth of Jesus as He grew in wisdom. There is physical growth as He grew in stature. There is relational growth as He grows in favor with people and there is spiritual growth as He grew in favor with God.  

    While I look at these key areas for developing a well-balanced child, I also look at these 4 areas for personal development.  I encourage you to do the same.  We should always be learning, growing in wisdom, and growing intellectually.  We should always be taking care of our bodies.  We should always be increasing our love for God and people.  

    Are you growing the way Samuel and Jesus grew?

    Are you growing others, especially your children the way Samuel and Jesus grew?

    Continue Strong and growing yourself so that you might grow others!
    And remember to DATE The Word