We Practice So We Can Play
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV
Paul tells us to train ourselves to be godly. Dallas Willard says, “We do not practice the piano to practice the piano well, but to play it well.”
Our homes are practice sessions for the real world. When we create a safe environment within our home, we train our children to play in the real world.
Some examples:
- We train our children to get along with their siblings so they learn to get along with all types of people in the world.
- We respond with love and discipline even when they misbehave so they can learn to love others who do not treat them well.
- We take things to the Lord in prayer at home so they learn to seek the Lord out in the world.
- We have joy and laughter at home so they can take joy and laughter into the world.
When we see our home as a training ground for our kids to face the world, we see the interactions in our home differently. We look at the issues not as inconveniences, but as training opportunities. Then the issues don’t frustrate us as much because we see the issues as opportunities to teach our kids God’s ways.
We consciously look to make our home a place of life, hope, and love so our kids will then be instruments of life, hope and love in the world.
