Influences-Family

Returning to my influence series of posts with another very big one...family.

Some are much more family oriented then others, but all are shaped by their family. Especially in the younger years.

I love my family; they are amazing. I can easily say I would not be a Christ follower today if it weren't for my mom, dad, and two older brothers. It is easy to see in my parents parenting styles the type of love Christ has for his children. I understand how foreign of a concept (that is, the type of love God displays) this is to a lot of people, but it never has been in my life thanks to my family.

How has your family influenced you? Alot of people do not have the best of stories concerning this topic, but I do believe every family (immediate or otherwise) has given you some sort of positive encouragement. And chances are, if your entire world were to fall around you, they would support you to the best of their abilities.

I also think a family is easy to take for granted and not be thankful for. But the fact of the matter is, a family is a group of people that no matter the circumstances you should be always thankful for. If I were to stop and think of all that my (and every for that matter) family has sacrificed without me giving anything in return, that statistic would be daunting. Thankfulness would be the only response one could have I would imagine.

God's views of a family are very heavily child-based. That is to say, He is very concerned with how we will raise our family and gives us much instruction on how to do so...

Deuteronomy 4:9-10
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.

Provers 3:1-4
My son, forget not my teaching, keep in mind my commands; For many days, and years of life, and peace, will they bring you. Let not kindness and fidelity leave you; bind them around your neck; Then will you win favor and good esteem before God and man.

Psalm 133:1
How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

God is both clear and passionate about how we are to raise children. I have heard it said many times that a child is kind of like a blank canvas that is molded and shaped into who he/she will be as an adult, and how much harder it is to change who you are as one! My children will love God; don't have many doubts of that. And I will take cue's from what I have learned from my family in the process!