We inherit many things from our parents: phrases, tone, inflection, body language, tendencies, likes & dislikes just to name a few.
For instance, when my mother was pregnant with me she loved to eat pizza and mashed potatoes and drink root beer. As a child these became some of my favorite and most requested foods and drink items. Even today, I still LOVE potatoes. I have passed on that love to my daughter.
My husband dislikes any sort of condiment, even the vegan imitations (relish, ketchup, mustard, store bought salad dressing, etc.), and he has passed on that distaste to my son (we don’t really eat them in our family anyway). My son however has taken it to the next level and doesn’t even like vegan butter on his homemade bread or toast, he wants it plain and dry.
If we can pass on simple likes and dislikes to our children what about our cultivated or hereditary tendencies? What about our explosive anger? Our gossiping? Our exaggerated story telling? Our lies (even the white ones)? Our provocative behavior? Our aggressive manner? Our expletive speech?…and many more…
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. – Exodus 34:7 KJV
So many times as parents we are disciplining our children because they are acting JUST LIKE US! We sometimes tend to have a “do as I say” mentality, not a “do as I do”. However, if we as parents are not overcoming those behaviors in our own lives how can we expect our children to? The answer is, we can’t. They obtained these behaviors from us, cultivated or hereditary, and they need to be able to see victory/overcoming/change from us in our own lives so they can have it too.
If our children look at our lives and can say that the God we profess to serve hasn’t helped us any, how can He help them? We need a change.
We need to pray. We need to seek God’s face. We need to study His word. We need to surrender. We need victory!
The bible says to “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7 KJV So when the enemy comes in like a flood, submit unto God and allow Him to lift up a standard against it. Once our children are able to see that surrendering to God can not only fix situations, but change mommy and daddy; think of the lasting impact that it will have towards their belief of what God can do for them in their own lives.
It will be life changing.
God Bless,
Family Blueprint
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The Law of Heredity—The physical and mental condition of the parents is perpetuated in their offspring. This is a matter that is not duly considered. Wherever the habits of the parents are contrary to physical law, the injury done to themselves will be repeated in the future generations…. – {AH 172.1}
By physical, mental, and moral culture all may become co-workers with Christ. Very much depends upon the parents. It lies with them whether they shall bring into the world children who will prove a blessing or a curse. – {AH 172.2}
The Family Blueprint 