Parental Influence

When we invite people to our teachings about baptisms and prayers and confessions and eschatologies and meetings, we may make excellent Presbyterians or Methodists or Baptists or Roman Catholics of them, but until we invite them to the person of Jesus, we are not likely to bring them to new Life.

He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. Just as an apple is fruit, but fruit is not necessarily apple, there are many ways that are not Christ. Much truth is not Jesus. There is life that is not Life in Christ Jesus. When we bring the lost to Jesus, and their surrender is to Him and not just to our headquarters, they will find in Him the Way and the Truth and abundant Life.

Teaching is important, or there would not be a spiritual gift of teacher. Informing, however, is not as effective as re-forming to an unbeliever. Being born of Him requires interaction with Him.

The beginning of the relationship is, then, being born of Him. The growth to maturity must come to us in the same path: interaction; relationship. Spending time as often as possible with the Spirit of Jesus is the path to maturity. I know many adults whose maturity in the areas of character, responsibility, and relationships is frozen at the age level at which they began to raise themselves. Some were ignored by their parents early on, some thrown out of homes, some ran away, but the age at which they stopped receiving parental influence is their current emotional “age.”

Do not run away from your Father’s home. Eat every meal with Him. Do every chore with Him. Include Him in every discussion. Ask for advice frequently. In all your ways, bring Him to mind, and He will direct your path.