I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
III John 4 ESV
John was just restating what the writer of Proverbs penned
almost a thousand years before. “The
father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be
glad in him.” Proverbs 23:24 ESV
Both Old and New Testaments alike challenge us about what we
delight in. So what do you delight in,
dad? Is it fishing, porn, hunting, power, golf, recognition, work, sports,
church or something else? According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary joy is defined
as: The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good;
that excitement of pleasurable feelings, which is caused by success. What really
gives you joy? And what
does success as a father look like?
Beyond joy, what is the truth? Who is the mediator of truth?
In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way,
the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” Both
the Old and New Testaments lay it out for us -- Psalm 119:160 “The sum
of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous
rules endures forever.” And John 17:17
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
If you want your children to walk in truth (The Word), then
someone has to teach them the truth, right?
So dad:
· How
do you prepare your children to discern the truth? Because you won’t always be
there to guide them. And even if you are there, do you always walk in truth,
dad?
· Are
you getting your children into His Word? Are you asking God for creative ways
to do this?
· How
do you know when your children are walking in the truth? Is it their fruit?
Their attitude? Something else?
· What
does “walking” imply in this verse? Is it life, lifestyle, goals, ambitions?
· Who
are your children? Paul was referring to his children in the faith. But doesn’t
this concept apply to natural born children as well?
Years ago I
sensed the Lord saying to me, “if you win thousands and disciple hundreds but
lose your children I will consider you a failure.” Those were strong words, words
that made me tremble. Because the prevailing thought among believers today is that
even if you do all you can do, your children have a will of their own, which
you can’t control. I know that’s true, yet the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he
will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. I sincerely believe that I must
reject any thoughts that belie the truth of scripture. I believe that to reach
our goal we must cry out to God consistently and continually. It is He who will
turn our children’s hearts to Himself.
So dad, if
we want the ultimate, supreme, amazing, terrific joy that John is talking about
in this passage it is incumbent that we must DO something besides just hope
they follow the Lord and walk in truth.
As I’ve
been meditating on the passage it seems to me that the joy or exuberance the
Bible is talking about here:
· Is not measured in days or months.
It is the law of sowing and reaping.
o You reap WHAT you so
o You reap MORE and you sow
o You reap LATER than you sow (often
much later)
· Is a reflection of your
disciple-making skills
· Is not dependent on me doing
everything perfectly
· Is a gift from God
Could it be that this is the greatest joy because a dad
realizes how fallen and faulty he is? He realizes that if his children are
walking in the truth (The living active Word of God), it is in spite of all his
failures. It is where the grace of God becomes intensely practical and
personal. We just learned the following song in the church we’re visiting while
in Baltimore over these past 10 weeks. Although the song doesn’t specifically
mention the “list of What a Dad Does or should do” I heard it in these words.
It by His grace! And it His work!
NOT IN ME
Verse 1
No list of sins I have not done, no list of virtues I
pursue,
No list of those I am not like can earn myself a place with
you.
O God! Be merciful to me. I am a sinner through and through.
My only hope of righteousness is not in me, but only you
Verse 2
No humble dress, no fervent prayer, no lifted hands no
tearful song,
No recitation of the truth can justify a single wrong.
My righteousness is Jesus’ life. My debt was paid by Jesus
death.
My weary load was borne by Him And He alone can give me
rest.
Instrumental interlude
Verse 3
No separation from the world, no work I do, no gift I give
Can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands,
I cannot cause my soul to live.
But Jesus died and rose again. The pow’r of death is
overthrown!
My God is merciful to me and merciful in Christ alone.
Tag
My righteousness is Jesus’ life. My debt was paid by Jesus
death.
My weary load was borne by him, and He alone can give me
rest,
And He alone can give me rest.
Not In Me [Lyrics,
3/4]
Words and Music by
Eric Schumacher and David L. Ward
“Nothing
gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.” 3
John 4 CJB
As you know God gives us explicit instructions about what a
dad is supposed to do AND yet He says that it’s all His grace. I can’t figure
out how both are true but nonetheless, they are both in the Word of God. So
what does a joyful dad do? He does everything in his power to teach his children
the Word of God, walk in the Word himself (model) and cry out to God for His
mercy and grace!
You now don’t have to wait until all your children are grown
to start laughing or expressing your joy. We laughed a lot as our children were
growing up. This passage isn’t just talking about when they are grown. In each
and every stage of their lives you can have the joy that our passage is talking
about. Rejoice today, dad, when even one of your little ones “walks in the
truth.”
WHAT A JOYFUL DAD DOES!
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