Daily Devotional
The Family Forms The Child

May 21, 2018

The family forms a child's psyche. It is in the home that a child typically learns who he is, what he can do, and what is expected of him. The child also learns a sense of security and confidence.

A child looks into the face of his or her parent to get a sense of worth. Does he see love in his mother's face? Does she see love in her father's eyes? That child should see that he is so special because of his mother's love and so special because of his father's love.

A child also gets a concept of life in the home. If there are limitations, disciplines, and rules, then the child learns he is not a law unto himself.

What else does a child learn in the home? He learns about God. That's right. Parents need to be teaching their children about God. This isn't an exclusive job of the church. If the parents and siblings don't show love and mercy and grace and concern, then children's concept of God may be warped.

Joshua 24:15 says, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."