Fashioning Our Lives Upon Wisdom
Famed British Fashion Designer Alexander McQueen, dead, an apparent suicide
The headline above, just released in the last couple of days, is yet another headline which speaks to the chasm which exists in the hearts of affluent, pleasure crazed, and otherwise worldly glamour lifestyle seeking celebs. What is so deeply disturbing, however, is that so many of us look longingly toward these people who wind up in train wreck after train wreck. Of course, it is not only those well known fashion designers, actors, and athletes who endure such crashes. It happens every day on Main Street America as well. Somehow, we continue to be duped into thinking that the “fabulous” life awaiting us consists of no restraint, all out fun, unrestricted pleasure, unfettered creativity, and the abandonment of moral certainty. This thinking seeps into every home in our culture through various media outlets, and if not filtered and viewed through the lens of scripture, will destroy the fabric of any home. We have an unprecedented challenge upon us in this media and experience age, and if we are to have any hope in building a future for our families and culture, we must have an intentional strategy in place.
Statistics point to the importance of running after wisdom as early in life as possible. Studies demonstrate that most people who come to faith do so by the age of eighteen. The scriptures instruct us to “train up a child in the way he should go”. The admonition is to teach wisdom early on in order that a child might embrace a life of faith and not depart from it. While our passion to teach our kids as much as we can about living a life of devotion to God does not guarantee they will not go the way of the prodigal, as parents we are called by God to give our best effort to instill values that will last a lifetime. Some of the critical values we should aim to teach our kids follow here.
Before we look specifically at those core values we want to have our kids embrace, we must look at the foundation for all deep rooted Christian character—our understanding of calling. Ultimately, our aim is to provide an environment in which our kids can grow into an understanding of the calling God has for them. This is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of Christian character is built. If we are to motivate our kids to avoid all the allure of sin around them, they must be convinced of the “ultimate why”.
This, of course, begins with our own lifestyles. Do they see the pursuit of a godly calling in us? Do our lives, over the years, reflect a heart in love with God and His purposes? Is our advice to them filled with a compassionate, intelligent, and coherent call to understand the “Why?” of life in relation to who God is calling them to be? Or are we just calling them to some vague and gushy idea of “living a good life” and being “good people”. We must be reminded that a good life is defined by God, and God alone. Anything less is merely a human opinion or preference, which means nothing ultimately. Scripturally, none of us, have any true goodness apart from living in relationship with Him, and being remade by Him. It is, therefore, not enough to lead our kids to the idea that goodness is culturally determined or up for grabs. Neither should we allow the distortion to enter which suggests that goodness is measured by our standard of living compared to the activities and actions of others. Its not about others. Its about God’s standard and call to life, life to the full. His way is the only way there.
Rick Warren, author of the all-time best selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, has challenged millions of readers to base their lives upon a “why”, a purpose. The earlier kids understand the purpose for which they were created, the earlier they commit themselves to character development. Os Guinness, a brilliant author, in his book, Rising To The Call, writes the following:
How do we each find and fulfill the central purpose of our lives? No theme I know strikes a deeper resonance with more people today than discovering life’s purpose. It’s a question, of course, but it’s more—far, far more. It’s a question that’s a passion, a longing, a hunger, a restless stirring in our souls, a driving motivation that fires the deepest parts of our lives and taps into the most powerful sources of our energy.
This passion, this deep hunger for our purpose, is fulfilled only by an understanding that we are created for something—and someone. To know early on that we are the apple of God’s eye and that He has specific intentions for us, can and does utterly reorient our life. I know this personally. This knowledge of God calling us to Himself, and calling us to accomplish certain tasks, is what builds the corresponding drive for character and is what gives us strength for any battle which may lie ahead. The lack of such compelling belief is what has lead to an American culture so replete with unfathomable pain amidst such wealth. If you doubt this reality just read the recent Newsweek special on the rising Crystal Meth epidemic in our country. Guinness points to the problem when he writes, “…the trouble is that, as modern people, we have too much to live with and too little to live for.”
And so, we must teach our youth to understand early just what it is, and who it is, that gives them a reason for living. We must teach our kids that the chief end of their lives is to know God and to enjoy Him forever.
Once convinced of their calling, our kids will run after character. When they see a passionate sense of calling lived out daily in our lives they will understand and move toward the core values we champion in our homes. What are some of those values and why are they important? I thought you would never ask! Here are a few core values we ought to be trumpeting in our homes.
While this is, of course, not an extensive list of traits we want our kids to embrace, it is a starting point. If our kids, and we as adults for that matter, can master these core values, they, and we, will certainly be able to taste and see that the Lord is Good. Living life abundantly, that’s the goal we are called to set for our youth. We have got to point them to the Pearl of Great Price early on. Teach wisdom early, live it now. The dividends will be enormous.
Bruce Smith
optimuslife.org
soulstormsite.com