The woman replied, “Oh, for years—ever since the children were small.” The visitor said, “There’s your answer.” That painting on the dining room wall, where it would be seen every day at every meal, depicted a large sailing ship, with sails billowing in the wind, its bow cutting sharply through the waves. Without a word ever being said, that painting had exposed those three boys to the allure of the ocean.
The intellectual development of a child is influenced by intellectual stimulation. For example, I really enjoy reading. I attribute that love for reading to the fact that when I was a child, my father surrounded us boys with books. I did the same with my children.
In the same way, a child’s spiritual development is influenced by spiritual stimulation. If parents are sensitive to this area, they will provide opportunities for their children to be exposed to things, events, books, activities, friends and anything else which will help the child develop spiritually.
Neil Armstrong made history on July 21, 1969, when he became the first person to set foot on the Moon. Buzz Aldrin followed him shortly thereafter. For two hours, 31 minutes and 40 seconds those two astronauts were outside their Eagle lunar module, walking on the surface of the Moon in an area called The Sea of Tranquility.
There have been a total of twelve people who have walked on the Moon. The Moon does not have weather like we do here on the Earth; there is no wind or rain, and no erosion. Experts say that the footprints of those twelve men will be visible on the Moon for almost as long as there is a Moon!
Those astronauts certainly left their mark! But we have to ask, “What kind of mark are we leaving for eternity? In the lives of others? In the hearts and lives of our children?”
Our children need to be able to study the ways of God as revealed in the Scriptures, and for long, long years to come, be able to see our “footprints” as we followed our Savior.
This week we will have an opportunity to leave footprints in the lives of children in our area, through Vacation Bible School. If you have not volunteered, please consider it! Regardless, pray that we will leave marks on the lives of these children for Christ, marks which will last for eternity.
--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com