Instead, we looked through multiple passages throughout the Old and New Testaments about what the speaker called “generational evangelism.” From the time of the Israelites to the time of the apostles, the instructions were pretty clear:
It started with one couple, Abraham and Sarah:
I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
—Genesis 12:2
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.
—Genesis 18:18–19
And God worked through their descendants, calling them out of Egypt and reminding them not to forget their purpose:
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.
—Deuteronomy 4:9
While again and again God’s people fell short and rebelled, God’s plan remained. The call was still clear:
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
—Psalm 145:4
It was central to the message up to the last prophet of the Old Testament, pointing towards the coming of the Messiah:
See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents…
—Malachi 4:5–6
The Messiah came. The Gospels open with the story of the generations that led to his coming. Jesus loved children and said that we must become more like them. Even though he never married or had his own physical family, he saw the great plan for God’s family.
And the message continued with his followers:
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.
—Acts 2:38–39
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
—Ephesians 6:4
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
—2 Timothy 3:14–15
These are just a few passages of a theme that saturates the Scriptures.
My whole mindset about my choices over the past several years has shifted.
Wiping Noses for Jesus is Legit
Raising my kids isn’t a burden to the gospel. Raising a faithful family is a central part of it.
I think I had known this in my heart, but hearing it preached to a crowd and outlined so clearly felt validating. Before, I felt like I had to make excuses—mostly to myself—why I couldn’t do x, y, z. Now, I can justify—mostly to myself—that wiping noses for Jesus is legit.
At the time I’m writing this, there are overwhelmingly heavy burdens that we hear about every day in the world around us. Racism and violence in our own country; terrorism and poverty and refugees abroad. I think a lot of us at home wish we could do more, but we forget: by investing in our families, we are investing in the future.
Some of us are called to go out into the world, to be boots on the ground, to love and serve those who need it most.
Others of us are called to raise those who will have the heart to do it tomorrow. I can send one of me. Or I can send three of my “mini-mes” later.
Furthermore, who better than a parent to invest every spare second I have to teach my kids what it means to love, to reject bigotry and hatred, to show compassion and to embrace what is true? Yes, on many days it’s hard to see the value in the mundane everyday tasks that take up so much time and energy. But it’s within this boring soil that the meaningful moments are cultivated: conversations, life lessons and love.
Moms (and dads) out there, maybe you feel like I do. You question the value of your day-to-day; you wonder if it matters, if you could do more.
My encouragement to you is this: name that lie for what it is. Remember that your family is your first ministry and that the everyday stuff matters more than you know.
Now it’s your turn: have you wrestled with this lie or a similar one? Please share in the comments below or on social media, and share this post with your friends who might be struggling with it too.
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Much love,
P.S. I highly recommend digging further into the Bible into what it says about generations. A very interesting and encouraging study that I might expound more on later!
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
