Be a good example for your children, your younger brothers and sisters!

Peace to you, my dear friends!

Praise God for the wonderful wisdom contained in the Word of God and for the opportunity to draw this wisdom daily to make our lives more productive.

We have been looking at the story of a woman from Canaan who was persistent in prayer for the deliverance of her possessed daughter to find some helpful lessons for our life today. Yesterday we saw that prayers of parents – mothers and fathers, spiritual masters – are very powerful and able to bring life to places where death is trying to have its way. Today I want to show you that what we say is not as important to our children as how we live and how we react to difficult situations.

“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send here away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew, 15:21-28).

In a difficult time, this woman came to Jesus to pray and to ask Him for the healing of her daughter. Mothers have a serious and real influence on their children. That is why it is so important how mothers behave in difficult times, how they bring their needs to God and trust God when going through hard periods in their lives. It is so important because their children watch them and their behaviour sets a pattern for their children.

Children watch and learn from us, and they will repeat what they have seen their parents doing. For this reason we can say that being a parent is a calling and assignment from God; the task of a parent is to set correct patterns and show a right example for the children. When the woman from Canaan turned to Jesus in a time of distress, she did not think that she was setting an example for her daughter of dealing with hard times. Our children need us not just ‘to talk the talk’, but to live in a correct way and demonstrate our convictions by our daily walk.

God’s calling for you today is: be a good example for your children, your younger brothers and sisters. Let your life, your faith and your walking in holiness be a pattern for those who are watching you.

We will continue tomorrow.

Be blessed!

Pastor Rufus Ajiboy