“Things We Need To Hear”
Encouragement is more powerful than we probably realize. When things are going well, we can get by without it. But throw a bad day my way, and a word of encouragement helps me get through. “You are doing a great job” has kept many a struggling soul from throwing in the towel.
If adults need occasional encouragement, how about children? That is the point J.T. Waresak made in his recent article on drjamesdobson.org. Entitled “12 Things My Kids Need To Hear From Me”, Waresak underscored the principle of love and nurture in childrearing. His list is impressive.
For example, “I love you” and “I believe in you” were top entries in his list. Other items point to building security and confidence in our little ones: “I’m here for you – always”, and “You are one of my greatest joys in life” speak to these needs. Children who grow up hearing that are more likely to deal successfully with life’s frequent challenges.
In my teenage years I used my grandmother’s greenhouse to raise garden plants to sell. I planted the seeds, and then just stood back and watched – NOT! The tender plants that sprouted from the seeds needed lots of attention and nurture. Without it they would have wilted and died. Children can wilt, too, and their souls can shrivel.
According to the Bible, we are all children of God. We are His offspring (Acts 17:28); He is the reason we came into life. But I’ve never heard the voice of this Father. Does He not try to encourage, teach, or nurture me?
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Indeed He does! Proverbs 2:6 is but one of many examples of this truth: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” The Bible is the book of God’s wisdom; those who learn from it are hearing things they need to hear.
Timothy was a man who was nurtured by God’s words. Paul pointed to this disciple’s upbringing: “And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Paul then went on to note that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (v. 16).
The things we need to hear are not always what we want to hear. As a child I would have been thrilled to hear my mother say we were having ice cream for supper every night! But that’s not what I needed to hear.
God loves His children, including you and me. He will teach us what we need to know – if we will listen. Refusal to hear means trouble ahead (see Jeremiah 5:23).
Timothy D. Hall.