I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice. (2 Timothy 1:5)
Paul knew Timothy’s heritage. He knew that the things that characterized the grandmother and the mother characterized Timothy. That’s the way sincere faith works. . . .
Listen to this, moms! Please read my words carefully. A church, a Christian school, a circle of Christian friends can deposit facts into heads. But they cannot translate truth into authentic living. Those avenues can’t make it “real.” Truth doesn’t weave itself into real fleshed-out life until it flows through you. Kids gather the facts. They learn them from the books. They see it in print on a page. But then they look to you to see it modeled into a sincere kind of faith.
Believe me, we can give our children the words to say, we can convey Christian concepts until we turn a deep shade of blue, but they won’t fit reality until our young see the reality of such truths in the home.
Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom for the Way (Nashville: J. Countryman, 2001), 304. Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
About the Author // Charles R. Swindoll
Accuracy, clarity, and practicality all describe the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll. Chuck is the chairman of the board at Insight for Living and the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. Chuck also serves as the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, where he is able to do what he loves most—teach the Bible to willing hearts. His focus on practical Bible application has been heard on the Insight for Living radio broadcast since 1979.