As for Me…
"But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15b
This is where Joshua is making a proclamation to Israel that they can do what they want but he is going to follow after God. It is such an aspiring story of courage and defiance of the masses. We see this verse on signs in people's home making that same stand against the world; We will stand for God.
As a family starting out you may see this verse and think, "yes, I want my family to stand for God." You might even put some decisions in place as your children start to grow of how you will train them and also what you may do if they choose not to follow God. Your strong and confident that your family WILL serve God. You will raise your family better then you were raised and better then what others may or may not be doing at church. If Joshua can make this decision in that primitive culture, surely we can do it today.
I have so many pictures and videos of my children saying and doing things for the Lord. Whether it be memorizing verses, singing in the choir, or helping out in class. They are so adorable. My sons made commitments when they were young to be preachers. One of my sons said that he had made a decision to be a missionary to India. He also wanted to be a detective so he decided he would be a missionary but when he wasn't preaching he would be a detective. Oh, they are so cute when they are young. So many times we went out and did things together for the Lord.
But then the day comes when your child says that he does not want to go to church any more. That it is not his church but his parents church. He does not know for sure if there is a God or not. He only knows of his parent's God. He wants to figure it out for himself. Is that wrong to do? Should it have been something to cause me alarm? I don't think so.
Isn't it a good thing that I have encouraged honest and courageous talk from my children? The fact that he felt comfortable enough to talk about this in this manner is critical to our relationship. When he approached me he was defensive about it because he had already told his father about what he was thinking and it did not go very well. I knew that I had to act in a different way.
The advise I get from the church is to show him to the door if he doesn't want to follow the rules in my house. I could tell him it is my way or the highway. He is 16 years old. Is that a wise decision on my part to present to 16 year old that he either goes to church or he has to move out? Is that what that verse was saying? As for me and my house, so just move out when you don't agree with the statement. I do not think so.
What would God do? He would listen. He would not feel threatened. He would encourage him to search for the truth. He would be there for him as he went through this journey and answer more questions. He would not abandon him. He would guide him back to Himself. God does not need me to defend Him to my son. My son knows the bible and he has seen a lot. He has seen hypocrisy all the way from the preacher, the church, and in his own home. Mind you I realize no one is perfect but there are some things done on purpose with no care as to anything or any one else. It is just done out of selfishness.
How does this verse apply to my household even when the children start going in their own way? It means I still stand. I do not move. I stay put doing what I am supposed to be doing. When the children take notice of me while they are searching for answers I need to be just doing what God would have me doing. That means I do not have the liberty of doing my own thing but making sure I am doing God's thing. As for me...I will serve the Lord.
Isn't it a good thing that I have encouraged honest and courageous talk from my children? The fact that he felt comfortable enough to talk about this in this manner is critical to our relationship. When he approached me he was defensive about it because he had already told his father about what he was thinking and it did not go very well. I knew that I had to act in a different way.
The advise I get from the church is to show him to the door if he doesn't want to follow the rules in my house. I could tell him it is my way or the highway. He is 16 years old. Is that a wise decision on my part to present to 16 year old that he either goes to church or he has to move out? Is that what that verse was saying? As for me and my house, so just move out when you don't agree with the statement. I do not think so.
What would God do? He would listen. He would not feel threatened. He would encourage him to search for the truth. He would be there for him as he went through this journey and answer more questions. He would not abandon him. He would guide him back to Himself. God does not need me to defend Him to my son. My son knows the bible and he has seen a lot. He has seen hypocrisy all the way from the preacher, the church, and in his own home. Mind you I realize no one is perfect but there are some things done on purpose with no care as to anything or any one else. It is just done out of selfishness.
How does this verse apply to my household even when the children start going in their own way? It means I still stand. I do not move. I stay put doing what I am supposed to be doing. When the children take notice of me while they are searching for answers I need to be just doing what God would have me doing. That means I do not have the liberty of doing my own thing but making sure I am doing God's thing. As for me...I will serve the Lord.
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