THE CULTIVATORS of my faith when I was still elementary-age were dedicated and disciplined. They instilled biblical examples in me that I could never escape!

They began with Luke 2:51, which says of the 12-year-old Jesus, "He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them." That was the foundation of my view to always obey my parents and the Lord. It was the Jesus thing to do.

I was challenged early on to "dare to be a Daniel" by the record in Daniel 1:8: "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."

Young people can grasp the challenge of 1 Corinthians 6:19: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price."

Don't underestimate the extent a child will go to serve Jesus! Read John 6: A crowd of more than 5,000 people listened to Jesus teach and then suddenly woke up to their physical hunger. Jesus did not hesitate to take the lunch of a young boy when it was offered to feed the crowd in miraculous fashion. See the point? No liberal child, no satisfied crowd.

If you as a Christian parent or grandparent have not walked through 1 Samuel 3 with your younger family members, you must not wait. The old priest Eli instructs the young boy Samuel: "If the Lord calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'"

Children must be taught to listen for the voice of the Lord calling them to service. God still needs workers! And youth can experience God's equipping.

Young David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the Name of the Lord Almighty." (1 Samuel 17:45)

Your children need role models. Show them the biblical models! They already have God's stamp of approval.

PRAYER:

"Dear Lord: Show us how we can model your Truth to our youth. Amen!"

Charlie Chilton is a retired Baptist minister, missionary and Stafford County native who lives in Orange County. He may be emailed at
Email: cacfwc@gmail.com.