Did you grow up in a Christian home where you weren’t allowed to watch TV as a kid? Maybe you couldn’t touch video games. Perhaps you were told to wear a specific type of clothing.
Some people reflect back on these seemingly ridiculous rules with bitterness or anger toward their parents. But just like our Heavenly Father gives us guidelines for our own good, parents who follow Christ set rules with our best interests at heart.
The clothing restriction was a reference to modesty. The banning of media use was to avoid exposure to evil, thwart the development of a game addiction, or even to avoid wasting time. All biblically-based reasons. Not legalism. Not foolishness. Instead, the loving acts of parents who did what they felt was best for their child, which honors the Lord.
When we think about the holiness God demands from us, we are able to see the rationale in those parents’ choices, as well as the wisdom and the protection they provided. Some of those rules are still a great method of self-control for today’s adult.
If God expects holiness out of us, that character trait must be cultivated through rules. And if it started with parents who encouraged the development of good habits by avoiding the bad ones, let’s honor that. We should always do our best to cultivate the character trait of holiness whether begun during childhood or as we began to experience life in Christ as God's children.
Dear Lord, please help me to know holiness and apply it to my life. Let me incorporate ways to be holy to honor your name. Amen.
Go Deeper — Take some time to reflect on the rules you were given as a child, or if not that, the ones you observe in other Christian families. What do you think the reason is behind each one? How can you incorporate those disciplines into your life today?
Photo Credit: Melanie Brown