Once upon a time, I used to lead a youth group, which meant that weekly, I was using what some Christians refer to as a "preaching gift." An outsider might look in to my life and wonder what happened to that gift. In some ways it lies dormant, but in one way, it doesn't. My husband once encouraged me to preach to our children. And, I thought, "Why not?"
I've read some old-time literature about the non-loving, dry individuals that used every opportunity to tell children that they should be seen and not heard or else they'd be popped into a special naughty children bag by an ogre (or some other such nonsense.) Strange. And, I am not that type of person, nor do I recommend that for healthy Christian child-rearing. That's not the kind of preaching I'm talking about.
I do recommend seizing every God-given opportunity to speak a timely, Spirit led word.
Children ask great questions. Their imaginative conversations naturally lend themselves to interesting topics. There is nothing wrong with a little "preach" in those conversations. In fact, there's a whole lot right about letting the Spirit lead our conversations with our children. God's Word is the ultimate final say. It's the go-to on every topic. It's the lens we filter every topic through. It's the weight that helps us weigh what is appropriate and what is not, what is holy, what is not, what is good and what is not. I'm not presenting a bunch of religions to my children for them to choose. I'm leading them in the Truth we live for. That's how we do it here.
So, when the Rugged Mountain Man walked in on the tail end of Mama passionately preaching (at the kitchen sink) about how sinners don't mix with Christians, Daddy wondered what Mommy was talking about. Mama said, "Oh, Blossom1 wanted to know why oil and water don't mix." The Spirit led and I followed.
Light and darkness don't mix.
Bad company corrupts good character.
There's nothing in common between a sinner and a Christian.
Never marry a sinner...
it all just started to flow out.
Don't pass up on these precious opportunities. If you don't speak, who will?
