Call me naïve. I used to think that if my kids attended Sunday school, memorized enough verses, and sat up straight and tall during family devotions, we would produce in them extraordinary faith. About that time I began discipling teenagers for a living. I began to wonder why some students possessed raw courage and exceptional commitment, while others seemed to bob in shark-infested waters, waiting for the hit.
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Where did the faith-filled ones get it? Why did the others fall prey? Frankly, I looked at my own children listening to "Whit's End" and "Psalty the Singing SongBook" tapes and felt terrified. Would this be enough to prepare them for the big leagues--junior and senior high school?
For the past 20 years I've motivated young people to live outside their comfort zone, to walk by faith. Many of the ones who stand strong for Christ come from what I call "hothouse environments," homes where faith has been cultivated. Even through the most turbulent moments of teenage hormonal imbalance, their faith actually insulates them from the affects of a secular culture, while not allowing them to become isolated from it. That has been my prayer for my children since the first moment I held them. I'm sure it's yours as well.
When our children stand strong in a godless culture, make no mistake--it's the grace of God. I've met few parents who could articulate how their children developed dynamic faith. They usually shrug their shoulders and apologize for all their blunders. So as we strive to build faith in our children, we need to examine the process God uses to strengthen our faith.
Source: Christianity Today | ChristianBibleStudies.com
Kevin Young is on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. He lives in Florida with his wife and five children.
