"CHARACTER-BUILDING"

8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." 

Philippians 4:8

While some argue that faith bypasses logic, the Bible proves otherwise, showing us that Christianity involves allowing our minds to be shaped by Scripture.

Yesterday's blog reminded us that Christian parents are entrusted to teach God's word to their children. Here's our first reason why parents should encourage their kids to read the Bible:

Their character will be built.

For the most part, our character is the sum of all the things that we are taught. So whatever we see, or hear, and whatever we fill our heads with, that's what we ultimately become.

For this reason, our children need to fill their minds with Scripture and understand its meaning. This way, their minds will be aware of the good things God wants them to remember.

Parenting in our generation poses a different kind of challenge. Many 21st-century parents are career-oriented, which means they spend little time with their children. While they are busy working, they have others to look after their little ones. Unfortunately, this absence often leads to the kids lacking moral values. During the formative years of children, they should be learning basic morality from their parents. However, since their mom and dad are away, they do not receive critical life lessons. For this reason, they exhibit inappropriate behavior, failing to distinguish between right and wrong.

The formation of a person's character starts with his or her mind. And the Bible teaches us that we can control what we think. 

Let's examine today's text. Paul tells the Philippians to keep on thinking and doing what is morally and spiritually excellent. He names different virtues that should fill a Christian's mind. "True" connotes the idea of being valid and reliable. The Bible calls God "True and Faithful" and commands believers to be of the same character. "Noble" is about being worthy of respect. "Right" conveys the idea of being able to meet God's standards. "Pure" highlights moral purity. "Lovely" communicates what is pleasing and friendly. "Commendable" denotes what is attractive and conforms to the highest standards. "Excellent" and "worthy of praise" are a call to discernment and to choose the right thing. Filling our minds with these things enables us to live like faithful followers of Christ.

Now, if we want our children to learn about what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and excellent, we, as parents, must invest time and effort in teaching them the Bible. 

But more than just teaching, we have to model Christlikeness. We should show them that Jesus is the perfect example of right living. The Lord Jesus is our model of humility, service, compassion, and love. In the pages of the four Gospels, we can see the very character of God through the life of Jesus. When our kids get to know Jesus on a personal level, they will want to be like Him.

Are you pointing your kids to the Lord Jesus?

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Lucas Davies on Unsplash