These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand…you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deut. 6:6-9 NKJV)
Thoughts–In the Sinai wilderness, just after God gave Moses His commandments, He tells Israel to fill their families with His Word. Parents were commanded to teach God's Truth to their children (teach them diligently). Mom and Dad were also told to live their lives and walk in the Truth themselves (when you walk in the way). Then, they were to have His Word clearly branded on their work (bind them as a sign on your hand), and to always have Truth displayed in their homes (write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates). God promised that if they would do that, He would bless them.
Life Tip–When my grandkids were babies, I held them in front of the TV to watch their first Nascar race (above). At age 3, grandson Jesse thought it was another Cars movie that was on TV, and he excitedly exclaimed, "Papa, I like this Cars movie better–more crashes!" As outdoorsmen, we dress up our kids and grandkids in camo, our favorite sports team's colors, or other favorites of ours, to make them look like us.
But, how much, and how early, do we exert the same influence on them, in the area of God's Truth–eternal, spiritual matters? Do we tell them Jesus' fishing stories, or only our own? Do they hear from us how awesome our Creator is, as we show them tiny creatures, majestic deer, shy trout? Do they see the mighty name of our Messiah on our lives and work, or only the name of a sports team or camo manufacturer?
Both influences can be fine, but only if the Truth comes first, and the sports come second.
Field Tip–The only good place to begin to teach any hunter to hunt, is pursuing small game. Teach them how to walk quietly, how to spot a squirrel's tail or eye, how to read the hickory nuts below the tree, to see if the nuts are just falling, or being cut, and when. An appreciation for taking the life of a small game animal, dressing it, and eating it, will go a long way in making a successful big game hunter, who honors the Creator in the way he hunts.
