Tell Your Kids Your Story
You’ve probably never heard of Pastor Robert West.
Nearly 50 years ago he served a small church in rural North Carolina, and I know about him because he was instrumental in my dad’s faith. At a key juncture, when my dad was in his early 20s, Pastor West encouraged him to not merely drift, settling for the bare minimum of the Christian life, but to press on, to serve Jesus, to start a family, all of which my dad did.
I know about this because my dad told me.
Informally, often on the way somewhere, my dad would tell me about Pastor West and his influence. My dad had a conversion experience under his shepherding care, and it changed his life. It was my dad’s story.
I never thought much about it any time my dad told me these things when I was growing up, because it was so casual. Looking back, though, I have a new appreciation for its shaping effect in my life. I realize now that my dad was telling me his testimony. He wanted me to know how God’s had saved him.
This has all come to mind this week as I’ve been steeped in Psalm 78. It’s a long psalm, recounting selective moments in Israel’s history, but it begins with a summons to hear:
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
The psalmist resolves to remember (by telling) God’s wonders of old.
Verse 4:
We will not hide them from their children,
but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
and the wonders that he has done.
Notice that this isn’t just any kind of telling, but it’s specifically to children, to the coming generation. Verse 5, then, launches us into the wonders of God, starting with the giving of the law, and interestingly, the psalmist includes the part of the law when God commands Israel to teach their children (see Deuteronomy 6:6–9).
Try to wrap your head around this: the psalmist is resolving to tell the children about God’s wonders, which he immediately begins with God telling Israel to tell their children his wonders. It’s like he’s showing everyone that he’s doing exactly what God said to do. Verses 5–7:
5 He established a testimony in Jacob
and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
to teach to their children,
6 that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments;
Israel was to tell their children about the wonders that God had done in their story so that the children would:
hope in God
remember God’s work
obey God’s word
That’s not a bad thing to want for your kids.
It’s made me ask, at a personal level: Would it have a similar effect on my kids if I told them about the wonders of God in my own life?
I’m bringing this whole thing down very practically, and personally.
Would telling my kids my testimony be good for them?
Not too formally, but casually, on the way somewhere, not once or twice but over and over again.
I think it would be good. It was good for me. Thanks, dad.
