In Deut 6:4-9 we read of God’s comment to Israel to put God first and to teach their children to do likewise. This teaching was to be done daily and by various means. The teaching was to stem from the very heart of God’s people. From their voice in a sitting, walking, lying or even rising-up position there was to be direction from parents to their children. Today’s Christians are also to teach their children. You may be saying, “My kids don’t want to talk … and they certainly don’t want to listen. This just won’t work in today’s world.” When is the last time you talked to your children …a real conversation, not just simply a periodic “yes” or “no” question.

In a recent survey by Highlights Magazine, 62% of kids believe their parents are distracted when their kids are trying to talk to them. When asked what distracts their parents, cell phones (28 percent) were the top response, followed by siblings (25 percent), work (16 percent), and TV (13 percent). In total, technology – phones, TV and laptops – accounted for 51 percent of the responses. The technology that was supposed to bring people closer together, has splintered our time to a point where we are not only failing to nurture relationships, we can’t even maintain them. It’s time to put the phones, tablets, and TV in the “off” position and start talking again. It’s time to teach what a love for God looks like. If we don’t, someone or something else will.

Written by Mike Williquette, Business Director at Baptist World Mission