It's a Family Thing

 

When I went to the skin cancer doctor for the first time five years ago, I had to fill out four sheets of paper … front and back!  Many of the questions were about my family history.  What did my father die of?  How old was he when he passed away?  What did my mother die of?  How old was she when she passed away?  What did my father’s mother … well, you get the picture.  These questions may seem tedious, but they get to my family’s medical predispositions.  You see, I am who I am partly because of who my parents were, and their parents, and so on.  Hey, I received my predisposition to sin from my parents and their parents too.  But don’t be quick to judge me; you received a sin nature from your parents too!  And all of us trace our sin nature back to Adam.  But, while we can’t break that evil cycle, we can trust in Jesus Christ and start a new family line.  We can become a part of God’s forever family.  But if we choose the dark path, we will teach our children that same dark way.  And they will teach their children, who will teach their children, and on and on.  Moses said in Deuteronomy 5:9, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them (idols), nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”  If we are evil, our children will follow our evil example.  If we trust in Jesus and take our children to church, they will hear about Jesus and hear about His salvation.  It’s that simple.  So, your decisions can affect unborn generations to come … for good or for evil.  Are you feeling the pressure?  Just choose the good and trust in Jesus.  He’ll do the rest.