March 17
Num 26:1-51 | PS 60:1-12 | Prov 11:15 | Luke 2:36-52
If we look back to biblical times there were few outside influences as one was raised. There were primarily the parents, siblings, and extended family. Children were all taught by the same or a few teachers, all respected and well vetted for the job. The local rabbi would lead the congregation and also be involved with their lives as they weaved the reality of God in their lives. As time marched on, even in rural America in our earlier days, this controlled set up remained. How things have changed. Most children are part of a public system in which their minds are being groomed by an individual whom you know absolutely nothing about. They may differ in every aspect from where you stand on issues and they have our child’s mind for more of the day than we do. The concept of church or synagogue is more of a weekly meeting for an hour or so, if that. Our children are exposed to voices and thoughts from individuals whom we fully would disagree with in the media and social media. Our children are exposed to coaches and instructors in activities who are molding our child’s mind. All along they are being formed and storing these thoughts and ideologies in their hearts, slowly being molded.
Consider the phrase we read concerning Mary in Luke 2:18-19, “All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Mary was young and couldn’t fully comprehend all that was happening, but she stored them in her heart and pondered them. A bit later we read in the encounter when young Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem, we read the exchange in 2:48-51, “His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.“ As who the Son of God was, this child becoming a Man before her eyes, Mary could not fathom all that she was taking in, but she stored it all in her heart.
Sadly, we have abdicated way too much of what enters our children’s and our own minds. Violence, perversion, godless views and rhetoric are not innocent and harmless. They are molding and influencing. We can’t simply wave a dismissive hand or assume that our few pearls will counterattack all of the vicious attacks of the enemy through others. Every day, every hour, every minute a decision is being made for ourselves and others. Even if we start each day in God’s Word, what outside influences are we allowing in for the remainder of the day. We need to abide and keep Him at the center of our lives at home, at the workplace, on vacation, etc. Everything really does matter. We need to store things, good things in our heart, so that when we are confronted with that which is godless we can pull out from our storehouse and steady ourselves on the course God has laid out for us.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: