John 8:14 Jesus answered “… I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.”
Did you know one out of eight children in America suffer from anxiety disorders? Where are they finding their identity?
My Grandpa Creech loved shooting home movies. And we all loved watching them. Every time the family got together at his house, we watched them until we practically knew them by heart. As a child, I had no idea how much those visual testimonies of “where I came from” stabilized my sense of identity.
This past Christmas season, we watched slides of our 2-year-old grandson blowing out candles on their “ice cream birthday cake for Jesus.” My heart skipped a beat. Ice cream birthday cakes for Jesus had been a yearly Christmas Eve tradition in our family. And now it was continuing to the next generation. A tradition reminding our son (and hopefully his son) of both family and more importantly, God.
Whether in our family, our country or the church, I believe it’s vital we learn about our past. Because secure identities depend upon knowing “where we come from.”
The teaching of American history has come under fire in the past years. But children need to learn about the genius and outstanding courage of forefathers who gave their lives for the cause of freedom. They also need to hear of those times when we failed to live up to our ideals that all equally-created-people have the right to pursue life and liberty. Unless we know where we came from, we’re likely to repeat our mistakes, as many wiser than I have pointed out.
Scripture clearly endorses knowing our spiritual roots. Genealogies in Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Exodus, Ruth Ezra, Nehemiah, Matthew and Luke all reveal our spiritual lineage. Psalm 78 exhorts us to tell our children about the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord (v.1-3). Sadly, some today fail to see the vital importance the church plays in establishing those roots.
Jesus knew where he came from, as well as where he was going. It contributed to an identity that could not be shaken, no matter what he faced. Whether praise and adoration, or betrayal and injustice.
How I pray the next generation would form strong identities. Secure in knowing where they came from. How I pray we would teach our children well.