Faithfulness Rewarded by Michelle Cox

WHEN READING ABOUT THE LIFE OF PAUL IN THE BIBLE, WE DISCOVER SO MANY WONDERFUL ATTRIBUTES THAT WE CAN APPLY TO OUR OWN LIVES. But there’s an important one that wise parents should instill in the lives of their children: Paul was faithful.

Paul had every reason to not be faithful. He was lied about, beaten, stoned, and falsely imprisoned. He lived through a scary shipwreck and was bitten by a poisonous viper. He was robbed, went hungry and thirsty, and wasn’t accepted by many other believers. And yet he was steadfast as he lived faithfully for Jesus.

So how can we teach this important trait to our children? We can teach by example. Those little eyes watch how we live our lives each day, and they notice when we’re faithful to church and to reading our Bibles and praying. And there are benefits to being faithful.

Proverbs 28:20 (NKJV) says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings.”

We can tell them stories about men and women who were Bible heroes, people like Daniel who prayed even when he was at risk of being thrown into a den of hungry lions, or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were faced with the threat of being cast into a fiery furnace.

First Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) tells us, “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”

Paul’s life was a beautiful reflection of that. Even when he sat in a dankjail cell, he was so full of faith that he sang. Can you imagine how the unusual sound of singing echoed throughout that prison? That’s the kind of faith we want to plant in our children. Faith that survives.

We can tell our children about our amazing God and share about how He’s been faithful in our own lives. And we can pray for God to help our children, grandchildren and future generations to faithfully serve Him all the days of their lives.

Dear Lord: Please help my family to be like Paul. Help us to serve you faithfully, even when we encounter difficult circumstance. Amen. -LH

Columnist Michelle S. Cox

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