TODAY’S VERSE:

Proverbs 23:7a “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

In last month’s Kids’ Corner, You Are What You Eat, we discussed how important it is for our health to eat the right foods every day and also how it as just as important for our health to read our Bibles every day. What we “eat” is what we become because the things we take in shape the way we think. The way we think will then determine how we live.

Romans 8:5-6 “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”

For example, if your parents teach you that you are to show respect to adults and enforce this in your home, then that is what you will accept as truth. If, instead, you learn how to behave from TV shows where the children are disrespectful to adults with no punishment, you will accept that as your truth. Whatever truth you learn and accept is the one you will put into practice; either being respectful or disrespectful to adults. The Bible is very clear on how we should treat our elders.

Leviticus 19:32 “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise— so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

This is just one example of how God wants us to think and behave. If you do not read your Bible, though, you will not know what God expects from you. As you do read it, you will see that God has very high standards for the behavior of His children. Do not worry, though, He does not expect us to meet these standards all on our own! Do you remember the series we finished recently on the fruit of the Spirit? We learned that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey as we learn God’s Word, pray, and depend on Him for our strength. The following verses should look very familiar!

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

When we read our Bibles, pray, listen to what our parents, Pastors, and prep school teachers teach us- God makes our thinking more like His!

Romans 12:2a “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,”

God shares His wisdom with us in the Bible, which changes the way we think, and He even gives us the power to obey His commands. He has provided everything for us to think, speak, and behave righteously. Our job is to accept all of the grace which He has lovingly given to us and say “thank you” by living a life that brings glory to Him!