Wow! Lots of good stuff in chapter 8 of Instructing a Child’s Heart! That’s a chapter well-worth rereading! It’s hard to know how to sum all that up and provide some simple application, but here’s my attempt. It seems to me like there are three main points to take away.
1. Recognize that our children/youth are always worshiping.
The Tripps provided great reminders again and again that our children are hard-wired for worship. We all are; that’s part of what it means to be made in the image of God. The Tripps put it like this: “God designed children for worship. The only question is, what will they worship?” (p. 93). They go on to reference Romans 1, where verse 25 makes this point abundantly clear: “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised.” We’re tempted to make that exchange all the time (both parents and children); that leads to the second principle I would highlight.
2. Don’t feed the idols.
They list a number of ways we can make this exchange: power and influence, pride and performance, possessions, pleasure and sensuality, fear of man, friendship (being devoted to peers over parents), and being “in the know.” This is just a sample list of potential idols but a very instructive one nonetheless. They go on when unpacking the implication of this principle on p. 106 to make some very helpful points about the ways our priorities as a family can feed the idols, saying: “Families are so overcommitted to activities that there is precious little time for meals together, family devotions, or simple conversation and family enjoyment.”
Here’s a helpful way to evaluate if we are unintentionally feeding some idols: what priorities are reflected in our family schedule? The point is not to avoid all other activities; the point is simply that our priorities inevitably get reflected in our use of time, energy, finances, etc. As the Tripps say: “…don’t present a worldview in which life consists in these things, and God is just icing on the cake. God is the cake!” (p. 106). If you’re wondering how to evaluate activities practically, I don’t think I can improve on the decision tree they provide on p. 107.
3. Dazzle them with the glory of God.
Instead of feeding the idols, let us direct their inbred desire for awe and wonder in a God-ward direction such that they are dazzled with the glory of God above all else. And the best way we can dazzle our teens is to be dazzled ourselves. That, it seems to me, is the most important take-away from this chapter: let’s be dazzled as parents in the glory, splendor and majesty of God! Put into practice in your own devotional life the three elements they recommend: (1) meditate on spiritual truths; (2) provide yourself with spiritual enticement; (3) express your spiritual delights.
Let our children & youth say that mom and dad are dazzled above all by the glory of God, as seen in the beauty and wonder of our Savior especially!
