Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.
–Proverbs 1:8-9
There was a mountain village that had a small lake as its only water source. The lake was fed by a stream created by snow-melt from the top of the mountain. But because of the debris from decaying limbs and leaves, the town hired workers to go up the mountain and ensure the stream was free of trash.
The children played, the people of the town drank, and swans and fish swam in the beautiful lake because of the workers who cleaned the water. But after a while, people began to see the cleaning as a menial task. No one wanted to do it, but everyone wanted the benefits of a clean lake. So the workers eventually died and no one was left who wanted to clean the stream.
Soon, that once-beautiful lake became an eyesore. Scum formed on the top. The water was no longer drinkable. And the fish and swans that had once populated the lake were gone. All of this because no one would tend to the stream feeding the lake.
If you’re a parent, you’re the keeper of the spring! It’s not a menial thing… it’s the most important thing you can do. Do the work to make your home a safe place for your kids – a place where Christ is exalted and good behavior is exemplified!
DO THE WORK OF MAKING YOUR HOME A SAFE, JESUS-FOCUSED PLACE FOR YOUR KIDS. IT’S YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TASK AS A PARENT.
