Ezekiel 18:20
Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won’t suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won’t suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In her book The Glass Castle, author Jeannette Walls describes what life was like for her and her brother and sister as they grew up with parents who were “different” at best… and downright neglectful and shady in some regards. They didn’t pay bills… they “skedaddled” in the middle of the night a few steps ahead of landlords, collection agents and law enforcement. Walls’ mother, a well-educated teacher, chose to spend her days and nights painting while the children slept, quite literally, under an old boat that protected them from water dripping through a leaky roof… and rats hung out in the large bowl of sugar that sat atop the dining table. Food was scarce, and the children were forced to forage in the garbage cans at school and elsewhere in order to fill their stomachs. The children suffered abuse at the hands of a grandmother, and the parents looked the other way. The book is fascinating and heartbreaking on every page, and I encourage you to read it if you haven’t already.
What is truly amazing is that the children survived. Walls and her brother fared better than their sister, but all of the children made their own way and were able to carve something of a life separate from their parents. Their story gives hope to countless families in which either the children feel destined to repeat the “sins of the father and mother,” or the parents feel responsible for how their kids “turned out”. While there is a distinct and often traceable connection…you can’t account for the power of choice. And that is what this scripture passage clearly indicates.
Just because your parents were not the greatest doesn’t mean you have to turn out to be like them. You don’t have to be a poor manager just because your parents were. You can break the “curse” of alcoholism, drug addiction, physical abuse, and more. You can be the first person in your household to finish school and go to college. You can have a marriage that is strong and steady and doesn’t fall apart within the first few years. You can choose to serve God and act as His disciple…even if your parents never darkened the door of a church or picked up a Bible.
By the same token, parents are not ultimately responsible for their children’s choices. You can serve as the model example of Godly, loving, responsible parents… do everything “right”… and still produce children who choose to behave in a completely different manner. You can live in the same house with brothers and sisters who are downright scoundrels… but that doesn’t make you one. You can have grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who have poor reputations… who are disobedient and disrespectful to God and to others…but you can choose NOT to be like them.
At the end of the day, there comes a time when we all make choices. We choose whether to throw our hands up and say, “Look at me and my family – this is just who we are”… or we can say, “I am only responsible for MYSELF… God will judge ME on my own merits. I am choosing to follow Him and behave in a way that honors this commitment.” I truly dislike it when someone makes a comment about another person that references his/her family… as if it is accepted as fact that we cannot be our own person and must operate in a manner similar to those in our bloodline. Nothing could be farther from the truth. You do have a choice. And yours is the only one that will matter to God.
How will you decide? Who will you follow? When God looks at the sum of your life, what will you have to show Him?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label generational curses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label generational curses. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 28, 2013
Numbers 14:17-18
Show us your great power, Lord. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last night, a cousin posted a photo on Facebook that I had never seen of my paternal great-grandfather, my great-grandmother, and five of their nine children. The photo was probably taken in 1906. I had never seen a picture of my great-grandfather Chandler… and none of my great-grandmother at such a young age (26). I studied the photo and looked at their features… could I see any of my own in their faces? My great-grandfather’s face reminded me of my uncle (his son - my grandfather’s brother). If I looked carefully, I could see that my grandfather more closely resembled his own mother… and I probably have some of her features, as well.
I was discussing this picture with one of my cousins, and she said, “Now we know where we came from!” Indeed, we are largely a compilation of our ancestors, from physical characteristics to mannerisms… and possibly even talents and abilities. We may belong to a “musical family,” or one that has a rich history of athleticism. Our family may have a lineage of scholars who achieved great success in business and were respected in their roles as pillars of the community. At the same time, we sometimes carry genes that make us prone to such things as heart disease, obesity, diabetes… and even alcoholism. And all too sadly, some of us carry the “gene” or “family curse” for afflictions such as depression or mental illness, a variety of addictions, or even a propensity for physical abuse and more.
As I study my family’s photographs, I wonder… who do I resemble – both physically, and in other ways? What was handed down to me? It’s daunting to think that the things you and I do today could have such a powerful impact on the lives of our children, grandchildren and even our great-grandchildren and beyond. But in some ways, I believe they do.
Am I saying that God looks at us and says, “I don’t like what Tom is doing, but I’m going to wait and punish his great-grand-daughter for it!”? Not exactly. But I believe very strongly that people are watching… especially our children… and they pick up our little peculiarities and habits, even when we don’t realize this is happening. This is why someone develops a sharp tongue just like his/her father or a “worry wart” attitude like Grandmother’s. This is how families develop a mindset of bigotry and racism… how some become known collectively for such things as laziness, negativity, elitism… or even general sinfulness. And this is how we pass these things on to future generations.
Inclinations toward certain attitudes and/or vices are often instigated by the adults in our circle, and the devil takes great delight in fanning the flames to cause a firestorm. God allows us free will and the option to act and think whatever we choose. How many times have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for Mom or Dad, it’s good enough for me!” or “I can’t help it… I’m just like my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Uncle Joe…” (you fill in the names)? God is patient with us and gives us the freedom to decide whether to be like Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa… or to be like Him. The ultimate decision is totally ours. He allows us to choose… even when we elect poorly or follow the wrong examples. But the stakes are high… the consequences can be costly… and the devil is ready to take even the smallest spark and ignite it for his own advantage.
What if we started making a concerted effort today to live differently… to polish and perfect the good characteristics we inherited... to combine them with God’s strength and power in order to combat the not-so-good traits? What if we vowed to break the curses of past sins… and never to perpetuate them to future generations? What if you and I lived – and served – in such a manner that we didn’t have to fear God’s retribution? I don’t know about you, but if any of my “children” say, “Oh, I got that from my Aunt Debbie,” I want it to be something that pleases God rather than something of the devil!
What “curses” from your past do you struggle with even today? Are there areas in which you need to say, “LORD, I know you have patiently waited for me to surrender this to you… and today is that day!”? Wouldn’t this be a great time to wipe the slate clean… to allow God to have control over your past, present and future? What are you waiting for? Make this the day you more closely resemble Jesus Christ than anyone else. Let this be the start of a brand new chapter… and a whole other story - for you and future generations.
What will you decide? Who will you look like today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Show us your great power, Lord. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong—not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last night, a cousin posted a photo on Facebook that I had never seen of my paternal great-grandfather, my great-grandmother, and five of their nine children. The photo was probably taken in 1906. I had never seen a picture of my great-grandfather Chandler… and none of my great-grandmother at such a young age (26). I studied the photo and looked at their features… could I see any of my own in their faces? My great-grandfather’s face reminded me of my uncle (his son - my grandfather’s brother). If I looked carefully, I could see that my grandfather more closely resembled his own mother… and I probably have some of her features, as well.
I was discussing this picture with one of my cousins, and she said, “Now we know where we came from!” Indeed, we are largely a compilation of our ancestors, from physical characteristics to mannerisms… and possibly even talents and abilities. We may belong to a “musical family,” or one that has a rich history of athleticism. Our family may have a lineage of scholars who achieved great success in business and were respected in their roles as pillars of the community. At the same time, we sometimes carry genes that make us prone to such things as heart disease, obesity, diabetes… and even alcoholism. And all too sadly, some of us carry the “gene” or “family curse” for afflictions such as depression or mental illness, a variety of addictions, or even a propensity for physical abuse and more.
As I study my family’s photographs, I wonder… who do I resemble – both physically, and in other ways? What was handed down to me? It’s daunting to think that the things you and I do today could have such a powerful impact on the lives of our children, grandchildren and even our great-grandchildren and beyond. But in some ways, I believe they do.
Am I saying that God looks at us and says, “I don’t like what Tom is doing, but I’m going to wait and punish his great-grand-daughter for it!”? Not exactly. But I believe very strongly that people are watching… especially our children… and they pick up our little peculiarities and habits, even when we don’t realize this is happening. This is why someone develops a sharp tongue just like his/her father or a “worry wart” attitude like Grandmother’s. This is how families develop a mindset of bigotry and racism… how some become known collectively for such things as laziness, negativity, elitism… or even general sinfulness. And this is how we pass these things on to future generations.
Inclinations toward certain attitudes and/or vices are often instigated by the adults in our circle, and the devil takes great delight in fanning the flames to cause a firestorm. God allows us free will and the option to act and think whatever we choose. How many times have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for Mom or Dad, it’s good enough for me!” or “I can’t help it… I’m just like my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Uncle Joe…” (you fill in the names)? God is patient with us and gives us the freedom to decide whether to be like Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa… or to be like Him. The ultimate decision is totally ours. He allows us to choose… even when we elect poorly or follow the wrong examples. But the stakes are high… the consequences can be costly… and the devil is ready to take even the smallest spark and ignite it for his own advantage.
What if we started making a concerted effort today to live differently… to polish and perfect the good characteristics we inherited... to combine them with God’s strength and power in order to combat the not-so-good traits? What if we vowed to break the curses of past sins… and never to perpetuate them to future generations? What if you and I lived – and served – in such a manner that we didn’t have to fear God’s retribution? I don’t know about you, but if any of my “children” say, “Oh, I got that from my Aunt Debbie,” I want it to be something that pleases God rather than something of the devil!
What “curses” from your past do you struggle with even today? Are there areas in which you need to say, “LORD, I know you have patiently waited for me to surrender this to you… and today is that day!”? Wouldn’t this be a great time to wipe the slate clean… to allow God to have control over your past, present and future? What are you waiting for? Make this the day you more closely resemble Jesus Christ than anyone else. Let this be the start of a brand new chapter… and a whole other story - for you and future generations.
What will you decide? Who will you look like today?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 11, 2011
Numbers 14:17-19
Show us your great power, LORD. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity… “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”… should be tattooed on the foreheads of many of us. How many times have you been guilty of knowing what you are doing won’t work… but you do it anyway?!
The Israelites were certainly like this, and Moses had quite a time trying to keep them in line. They were demanding whiners and complainers who were, for the most part, completely ungrateful for the blessings and care God showed them. And because of their lousy attitudes – and their “insanity” – they wandered around in the desert for forty years! They made God so mad that He cursed their children and grandchildren… and just flat-out killed many of them.
Believe me, God showed plenty of patience and mercy… but eventually, He had enough of this disobedience and disrespect. And remember, this happened before Jesus died on the cross for us. God’s way of dealing with sinful people was different in Moses’ day… although He still can get disgusted and let us wallow in our sin and the consequences to the point we feel pretty uncomfortable!
But the point is that we are all modern-day Israelites. We know what the Bible tells us about Christian behavior and the commandments to love God and love one another… and to follow the commandments given to Moses and his people by God centuries earlier. We know that a lot of what we do qualifies as “insanity” – the results are the same, but we keep trying for different ones anyway! So we think that we can sneak some illicit behavior in under the wire just this one time. We think we can turn our back on worship and Bible study and prayer… and God will cover us with His grace and mercy and let us take a little break for a few days/weeks/months/years.
We fail to recognize that the very things that troubled our parents and grandparents often trouble us. We repeat the same mistakes, character patterns and flaws in judgment and thinking… when we could be asking God to break the curse (of alcoholism, racism and bigotry, obesity, abuse, negativity, and more) and make us the start of generations who live differently. We have an opportunity, through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father – and with the blood of Jesus washing us clean – to do better. We can stop the extended fallout of the “sins of our forefathers” and live in the shadow of the love and protection of God Almighty.
I am guilty of Einstein’s “insanity” on a regular basis – in ways great and small. But I want to do better. I want to learn from my mistakes – and those of past generations. I want to recognize the guidance and wisdom of my Heavenly Father – and pay attention! I want to feel the extravagance of His loyal love and stop wandering in the “wilderness”. Will you ask God to help you break your own “insanity” – and come along with me?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Show us your great power, LORD. You promised that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity… “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”… should be tattooed on the foreheads of many of us. How many times have you been guilty of knowing what you are doing won’t work… but you do it anyway?!
The Israelites were certainly like this, and Moses had quite a time trying to keep them in line. They were demanding whiners and complainers who were, for the most part, completely ungrateful for the blessings and care God showed them. And because of their lousy attitudes – and their “insanity” – they wandered around in the desert for forty years! They made God so mad that He cursed their children and grandchildren… and just flat-out killed many of them.
Believe me, God showed plenty of patience and mercy… but eventually, He had enough of this disobedience and disrespect. And remember, this happened before Jesus died on the cross for us. God’s way of dealing with sinful people was different in Moses’ day… although He still can get disgusted and let us wallow in our sin and the consequences to the point we feel pretty uncomfortable!
But the point is that we are all modern-day Israelites. We know what the Bible tells us about Christian behavior and the commandments to love God and love one another… and to follow the commandments given to Moses and his people by God centuries earlier. We know that a lot of what we do qualifies as “insanity” – the results are the same, but we keep trying for different ones anyway! So we think that we can sneak some illicit behavior in under the wire just this one time. We think we can turn our back on worship and Bible study and prayer… and God will cover us with His grace and mercy and let us take a little break for a few days/weeks/months/years.
We fail to recognize that the very things that troubled our parents and grandparents often trouble us. We repeat the same mistakes, character patterns and flaws in judgment and thinking… when we could be asking God to break the curse (of alcoholism, racism and bigotry, obesity, abuse, negativity, and more) and make us the start of generations who live differently. We have an opportunity, through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father – and with the blood of Jesus washing us clean – to do better. We can stop the extended fallout of the “sins of our forefathers” and live in the shadow of the love and protection of God Almighty.
I am guilty of Einstein’s “insanity” on a regular basis – in ways great and small. But I want to do better. I want to learn from my mistakes – and those of past generations. I want to recognize the guidance and wisdom of my Heavenly Father – and pay attention! I want to feel the extravagance of His loyal love and stop wandering in the “wilderness”. Will you ask God to help you break your own “insanity” – and come along with me?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)