Where are you leading?

“I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.”
-Proverbs 4:11

If we knew how much influence we have in the course of a day, I wonder how surprised we’d be. You don’t think about it, maybe, when you’re driving wildly with a Jesus fish on your back bumper. How many see that and curse God because of it? Or when you pray before a meal at a restaurant and then stiff the waiter on the tip. Did that customer you brushed off a month ago see you in church on Sunday?

I’ve only given examples of religious influence, but there are so many more. The people you encounter in the world very well end up being a customer, a future boss, a police officer who will pull you over next week, a political leader, a voter, a substitute player on your softball team. People all the time are seeing you, hearing you, watching you, and what they see and hear will influence them.

Are they seeing Christ, or are they seeing something else?

I’ve known of several people who have been so good in their influence at church or the world, but then at home, something happens. It’s tough, I know, with your family, because you can’t always put on a false face with them. They’re going to see what you are really like.

Are we leading our kids to Christ, or somewhere else?

There are many hopes I have for any kids I may have. I hope my son plays baseball. I hope they are smart and love to read. I hope they can appreciate good Rock ’n’ Roll. I hope they can achieve their dreams.

But most of all, I hope and pray that I will be the sort of father who leads his children to Christ. I hope and pray that I will be able to repeat this verse at the end of my life. I will make mistakes, I know, but if they grow up understanding the Grace of Jesus Christ, then I will be successful as a father, even if all of those other hopes never come true.

We spend so much time with our kids teaching them stuff. From math to a fastball to riding a bike, we are always teaching. How often does God’s love come into that?

It’s so critical because this life is only this life. We have maybe eighty years and then it’s done. We won’t be riding a bike very long. We won’t be pitching very long. We won’t be doing math very long. But what we believe about Jesus will determine our forever.

Jesus tells us that He is the only way to life. Anyone who wants to have eternal life must go through Him. Why? Because we’ve messed up. It’s that simple. See, God is so perfect, so righteous, and so just, that He must impose the rightful punishment for our greed, lusts, and pride. That punishment is death. In those sins we have rebelled against God, and God, being just, must put an end to the rebellion.

A good judge must follow the law. It is only bad judges that let criminals go free without punishment. So it is with God.

But when Jesus died on the Cross, He took our sins with Him. He paid the price we were supposed to pay. So if we repent and believe in Him, He will atone for our sins with His Blood. We will be counted righteous because of Him, not because of ourselves.

That is why the question of Jesus is so important. That is why Grace is so critical. Put down the baseball and talk to your kid about it.