I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formally I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly and in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14
When you were born again you were chosen and appointed to our Lord’s service. As Christians we have all been given the Great commission Matthew 19-20. And when we were blessed with children we were judged faithful and entrusted to raise children for the service of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a need on your part to have mercy on your children when they act ignorantly and in unbelief. Because of Jesus’s grace and mercy towards you. One of the most difficult things about raising children is to have patience with them. I speak from experience and with the knowledge that my patience is not very long-suffering. I was raised by a man with very little patience. And while I have worked very hard to have greater patience I remain a person of shorter patience than is required to show proper love and mercy towards others.
Children are born ignorant and spiritually dead. Through Deuteronomy 6:4-7 we are told to teach our children diligently by talking with them of the Lord and his ways and his words throughout the day in our daily chores. It is necessary for us to be aware of and teach our children what the world will not. We need to replace their ignorance with the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the world will fill them with hatred for Christ.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17
First you you learn and then, you share with your children. This is how both heritage and education works. We pass down, we share what we have learned or experienced. You are a child of God and what grace and mercy you have received you pass on to your children that they might know this grace and mercy as well. That they may know the love and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior.
This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to bless them. 1 Timothy 1:18-20
Just like Paul, we have been entrusted with the message that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. And just like Paul, we have been entrusted to pass that on to the world and to our children. We must not make a wreck of our faith or children’s faith through ignorance, or the ignoring of God’s word. So too, we must not ignore the truth that we are sinners. We all need love, grace, and patience.This is the compass that keeps us sailing in the right direction. Steady onward through the love of Christ. Who came to save us sinners.
When You Rise Up 