These words of warning have been enough to keep me from being pulled over — all but once, that is. This experience left a lasting impression on me, but not for the reason you might think. As I pulled into a lot in route to a restaurant, I was surprised to see flashing lights behind me. I slowed down, pulled over to the side of the road, and waited for the police car to pass. It didn’t.
After a few moments, the policeman walked over to my car and asked to see my drivers’ license. I presented this to him, and he explained I had turned into the lane during a restricted time. I remembered seeing the sign, but hadn’t paid much attention to it. I was guilty as charged, and deserved a ticket.
The policeman went back to his vehicle for several minutes, and returned with a warning not to repeat the offense again. That was it; I was free to go. I thanked him and went on my way. The dialogue was cordial, and the exchange uneventful. That’s because of another lesson my parents taught me: If you do get pulled over by a policeman, always be respectful. I was, and my first experience was a good one.
The Influencer’s Lens
As I reflect on my experience in light of the recent clashes between policemen and African-Americans, I am reminded of the power of perspective. The lens through which we view our world is often colored by our influencers. Two of my greatest influencers have been my parents. They have taught me about the natural consequences of poor choices. They have also taught me when justly confronted about my wrongdoing to take full responsibility. This is only because they, in turn, have been influenced by their life experiences and the Word of God.
Every human being who has ever breathed Earth’s oxygen has an influencer. That person, thing, or value system stamps an indelible impression upon us during our formative years from ages 1-22. Where do we spend the majority of those years? At home. This is where my formal education in the School of Life began, and the training has served me well.
Choose Your Influencers Wisely
Many people look to what’s trending on Facebook and Twitter or the news media for perspective on current events; the wise look to objective influencers who will present the truth in a balanced, unvarnished manner. Where do we learn which influencers to follow? Primarily at home. The quality of our personal, social, and cognitive development speaks volumes for our upbringing.
The same is true of the quality of our spiritual development. At home, the values taught from the pulpit are put in a real-world context where they are modeled — or marginalized — before our eyes.
As God prepared Israel for promotion from the wilderness to Canaan, He recognized the importance a spiritual heritage would have on the next generation. He admonished them through Moses:
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Hundreds of years after Israel had inherited the Promised Land, God challenged her religious leaders to impart a legacy of discerning faith to the people: “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” (Ezekiel 44:23) The ability to discern truth from error and cleanliness from impurity was a gift imparted by godly influencers to the people.
In both examples above, the success of the nation was directly linked to the character of its key influencers. In other words, the nation’s character was formed “at home.” Whether Israel’s leaders followed God or turned away from Him, the people followed their example. The good examples produced good results; the bad examples produced bad fruit.
Time for Action
As I read the latest news headlines about racial tensions and violence in the United States, I wonder if the underlying problem is not really a matter of race, but failure on the part of black and white leaders “at home” to influence the next generation in a way which constructively addresses these issues and fosters healing. Our hearts should break at the loss of any life at anyone’s hands, whether the victim is a black man killed by a white police officer, or a white police officer killed by a black man. These may be the stories which have made the national headlines; but a love for life and loyalty to the truth should also cause us to grieve the disproportionate number of black-on-black killings [1], as well as the abortion of 16 million black babies during the past 40 years [2]. Surely these lives matter.
It’s time for us to take action. How do we do it? It starts at home. A sense of entitlement and victimization ought to be washed from children’s minds so they can become agents of change in our culture. But they won’t learn this from Twitter, Facebook, or the national news media. They will learn it from God-fearing parents, teachers, and church leaders who are prepared to start early “at home.”
Does the truth apply to homes where children have grown up in dysfunctional families with one or both parents missing? Absolutely! In such cases, the Body of Christ must rise to fill the void. My dad spent a great deal of his childhood in a single-parent home. His mother was a tremendous influence in his life, but he has never forgotten an older brother in the church who provided a strong male influence. To this day, he still talks about this man who first taught him to tie his tie.
Other young men and women need someone to provide personal, social, emotional, and spiritual direction in their lives. Together, we can do this! Each of us knows someone for whom we can be a key influencer. This person may be a peer at work, a next-door neighbor, a friend, a child in your classroom, or even your friend’s child. Others need to see a truth perspective modeled in your life — and they are watching. Are you willing to lead the way?
Article by Cameron Edwards
[1] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/11/28/5-devastating-facts-black-black-crime/, on July 31, 2016.
[2] http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/black-lives-matter-so-its-time-to-outlaw-abortion/, on July 24, 2016.
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