Friday, December 4, 2015

Popcorn Professor

Passage:  Joel 1: 3  Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children the next generation.”

We love popcorn and Bill is the popcorn master.  When the grandkids come to visit we usually have a movie night complete with buttery popcorn.  Hadley once remarked that ‘Pa made the best popcorn in the world.’

The coolest thing about Bill’s popcorn expertise is Will’s interest to learn the family business.  The last time the kids were here, Will took directions from Pa on each step of making the perfect popcorn.  Sure enough, he did a great job following Pa’s instruction and we enjoyed an evening of delightful popcorn.

I have heard Bill tell stories about how his grandfather made popcorn and I can imagine Bill as a little boy watching his grandfather just as Will watched his Pa.  The point is not really popcorn, it’s teaching the next generation.

The above passage from Joel reminds us of that progression.  We teach so they will teach and so on.  Joel is talking about teaching the future generations the truths of God’s Word.  In that particular time of Israel’s history during the writing of Joel, there were some tough times coming.  The people and future generations needed a call to repentance and contrition and also remember God’s compassion, mercy and faithfulness.  The people would not learn those things from the world around them but from the testimonies of their own families.

Our kids and grandkids are watching and listening. We are their best teachers because their ears and eyes are bent to our instruction.  Whether it be how we admit our mistakes, how we handle conflict, or how we make popcorn we are teaching them so they can teach the next generation. 

What is something you want to make sure your kids or grandkids know?



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