A Hundred Years to Live
Deuteronomy 6:1-12
A woman learning to golf had been at it for about a month when her father-in-law invited her to go golfing with him. After teeing off on one of the holes, her father-in-law was intent on finding the ball he’d sliced into the rough. Meanwhile the woman, concentrating deeply on her shot, was unaware of his position. Her shot was a low, whistling ball that passed within inches of his head. He instinctively dropped to the ground. Almost immediately the woman ran to him and blurted out, “I would have warned you, but I couldn’t remember the number to yell.”
What “number” was she supposed to yell? Fore! Of course, we all know that’s not a number. I’m not sure why golfers yell that word—there are several different theories—but nonetheless, she didn’t. Why? Because she forgot! She was a new golfer and in the panic of the moment and due to her lack of experience, she froze. And frankly, she endangered her father-in-law because she forgot.
Forgetting things can be dangerous. If you forget to put oil in your car you can ruin the engine. If you forget to turn off the burner on the stove, you can burn down the house. If you forget your anniversary—well, you get the idea!
In this crucial chapter of Deuteronomy, God tells His people that there are certain things they must remember. For we all grow older and only have a certain amount of time in this life both to learn and to teach. This fact is brought out in a beautifully contemplative song by Five for Fighting: “I’m fifteen for a moment, / caught in between ten and twenty; / and I’m just dreaming, / counting the ways to where you are. / I’m 22 for a moment. / She feels better than ever, / and we’re on fire, / making our way back from Mars. / I’m 33 for a moment, / still the man, but you see I’m a they, / a kid on the way, / a family on my mind. / I’m 45 for a moment. / The sea is high, / and I’m heading into a crisis, / chasing the years of my life. / Half time goes by, / suddenly you’re wise. / Another blink of an eye, / 67 is gone. / The sun is getting high; / we're moving on. / I’m 99 for a moment, / dying for just another moment, / and I’m just dreaming, / counting the ways to where you are. / Fifteen, there’s still time for you; / time to buy and time to lose. / Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this / when you only got a hundred years to live.”
Have you ever watched a relay race? As the lead sprinter on each team runs the first leg of the race, the next runner gets set. He anxiously times his teammate’s arrival, and begins running before the lead man overtakes him. Then the crucial moment arrives, and the lead man passes the baton to the next man. The process is repeated twice more in the race as each man surrenders the baton to the next.
A good track coach will tell you that the relay is won or lost in the transfer of the baton. A miscalculation or hesitation at that point can cost the race.
Many of us as Christian parents and grandparents and teachers have started to feel as though we’re losing the race—that we’re muffing the transfer and that our kids are dropping the baton. We fear that we’re not passing on our values, our morals, and our faith to our children. We worry that the spirit of the times is going to capture our children—that they’ll be making choices and living lives and paying the consequences of a value system they’ve picked up from the world around them, one that rejects the truth of the Bible, one that glorifies sex and violence and laughs at drunkenness and rudeness, one that mocks biblical morality.
But the race is not lost; on the other hand, we don’t have any time or effort to lose. We can still transfer our values to the next generation; we can still pass on biblical values to our children and teenagers; we can still equip them to live godly lives in the midst of an ungodly world. But to do so, we have to get going on the model God gave to Israel for teaching His truths to succeeding generations.
To do so, we have to build relationships. God’s model for teaching biblical truth to young people called for us to have an in-depth relationship with them. But how can we expect to teach living truths to our kids if we don’t spend any time with them, if we’re never around, if we’re never sitting in our house, if we’re never walking with them by the way? The chief way we’re muffing our transfer of godly values to our children is by royally messing up our relationships! We can’t impart truth apart from honest, meaningful relationships. God wants us to teach His truths in every single relational interaction with our kids—even the most mundane.
To do so, we have to set the example. Whether you know it or not, you’re being watched. And the things you model—by design or by accident—powerfully communicate your convictions about right and wrong. If we want to pass on biblical values to our children, we must model those values in our own lives. The Word of God must be on our hearts before we can impress them upon the hearts and minds of our kids. We must live consistent lives that model biblical standards.
To do so, we have to share the truth. Our example is vital, but passing our values on to our children includes instruction. Instilling biblical values requires a commitment to teach our children consistently, repeatedly, at every opportunity, that there is a standard of right and wrong that transcends human ideas and opinions. But in our day and time those opportunities no longer come easily. But that doesn’t mean we’ve lost the battle. It simply means that we have to seize every opportunity to teach biblical truths and godly values to our kids.
The Hebrews made religion an integral part of life. Their religious education was life-oriented, not information-oriented. They used the context of daily life to teach about God. So it is that the key to teaching our children to love God is stated simply and clearly in these verses. If we want our children to follow God, we must make God a part of our everyday experiences. We must teach our children to see God in all aspects of life, not just those that are church related.
Years ago I ran across a list entitled “The Top Ten Ways to Turn Off Your Kids to Church” and thought it would be good for us to examine ourselves to make sure these characteristics don’t become true of us: 10) Do the best you can to make sure the kids arrive on time to soccer practice and school events, but don’t worry if they miss or are late to church; 9) Schedule personal or family events to conflict with church services and activities; 8) Bring your family to church only when you have nothing better to do or only when you have a personal need or only when you feel really guilty; 7) Financially support your church and its missions with the same enthusiasm you pay taxes; 6) Remind your kids how imperfect your church leaders are and regularly point out their mistakes; 5) Look often at your watch during worship and complain bitterly or look annoyed or freak out when church lasts longer than you think it should; 4) Don’t get too close to anyone in church. Refrain from developing relationships with Christians lest your children learn the joy and benefits of fellowship with other believers; 3) Don’t volunteer for anything or make any kind of long-term commitment at church. Remember, you’ve got to keep your options open to do things that are more important; 2) Change churches every few years; and 1) Whatever you do, don’t let church influence the way you live your life.
A young Jewish boy who grew up in Germany had a profound admiration for his father, who saw to it that his family’s life revolved around the religious practices of their faith. But in his teen years, the boy’s family moved to another German town—a town with no synagogue, only a Lutheran church. Soon after the move, the father announced that they were going to abandon their Jewish traditions and join the Lutheran church—not because he’d come to faith in Christ but because he said it would be good for his business. The youngster’s confusion gave way to anger and intense bitterness that plagued him through his life. After moving to England to study, he began work on a book in which he introduced a whole new worldview and conceived a movement designed to change the world. The finished book he called Das Capital; his name was Karl Marx, the founder of communism.
When we sell our faith to the highest bidder, we set our whole family up for failure. But God promises that if we put Him first, He’ll bless our family. That doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen, but it does mean that when they do, God will give us the strength to face whatever this world throws at us.
Sure, church is important, and your pastors and leaders and teachers are all here to help you and encourage you and reinforce your efforts in your home. But we can’t do your faith for you. And you can’t expect your family to catch your faith by osmosis. You can’t expect them to just absorb your belief because you think godly thoughts. The Bible instructs you to impress your faith on your children, to talk about it at home, on the road, when you go to bed, when you get up, to tie it to your hands, to bind it on your forehead, to write it on your doorframe. These are all action verbs. God isn’t calling for a mumbled piety; He’s calling for an active faith. And this active faith has got to be a true faith. It dare not be a put on. It dare not be something you wear on your sleeve. If your faith isn’t real, your family will know it—and they’ll have a special word to describe who you are: hypocrite.
It’s time for us who say that the Lord is our God to act like He is our God. That means we must not only say we believe in truth, we must not only say we believe in right and wrong, we must act like people who believe in truth, we must behave like people who believe in right and wrong! And there’s still time for you.
Let us pray: O Lord, may our love be pure, may our relationships be deep, may our example be consistent, may our sharing of Your truth be with purpose, may our memory be sharp, may our devotion be clear, may our obedience be with the right attitude, may our dedication be real. Make our lives a compass directing all those who come after us toward You. Bond us together that we may encourage the young to be true disciples of Your Son. For it’s in His name that we pray.
Deuteronomy 6:1-12
A woman learning to golf had been at it for about a month when her father-in-law invited her to go golfing with him. After teeing off on one of the holes, her father-in-law was intent on finding the ball he’d sliced into the rough. Meanwhile the woman, concentrating deeply on her shot, was unaware of his position. Her shot was a low, whistling ball that passed within inches of his head. He instinctively dropped to the ground. Almost immediately the woman ran to him and blurted out, “I would have warned you, but I couldn’t remember the number to yell.”
What “number” was she supposed to yell? Fore! Of course, we all know that’s not a number. I’m not sure why golfers yell that word—there are several different theories—but nonetheless, she didn’t. Why? Because she forgot! She was a new golfer and in the panic of the moment and due to her lack of experience, she froze. And frankly, she endangered her father-in-law because she forgot.
Forgetting things can be dangerous. If you forget to put oil in your car you can ruin the engine. If you forget to turn off the burner on the stove, you can burn down the house. If you forget your anniversary—well, you get the idea!
In this crucial chapter of Deuteronomy, God tells His people that there are certain things they must remember. For we all grow older and only have a certain amount of time in this life both to learn and to teach. This fact is brought out in a beautifully contemplative song by Five for Fighting: “I’m fifteen for a moment, / caught in between ten and twenty; / and I’m just dreaming, / counting the ways to where you are. / I’m 22 for a moment. / She feels better than ever, / and we’re on fire, / making our way back from Mars. / I’m 33 for a moment, / still the man, but you see I’m a they, / a kid on the way, / a family on my mind. / I’m 45 for a moment. / The sea is high, / and I’m heading into a crisis, / chasing the years of my life. / Half time goes by, / suddenly you’re wise. / Another blink of an eye, / 67 is gone. / The sun is getting high; / we're moving on. / I’m 99 for a moment, / dying for just another moment, / and I’m just dreaming, / counting the ways to where you are. / Fifteen, there’s still time for you; / time to buy and time to lose. / Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this / when you only got a hundred years to live.”
Have you ever watched a relay race? As the lead sprinter on each team runs the first leg of the race, the next runner gets set. He anxiously times his teammate’s arrival, and begins running before the lead man overtakes him. Then the crucial moment arrives, and the lead man passes the baton to the next man. The process is repeated twice more in the race as each man surrenders the baton to the next.
A good track coach will tell you that the relay is won or lost in the transfer of the baton. A miscalculation or hesitation at that point can cost the race.
Many of us as Christian parents and grandparents and teachers have started to feel as though we’re losing the race—that we’re muffing the transfer and that our kids are dropping the baton. We fear that we’re not passing on our values, our morals, and our faith to our children. We worry that the spirit of the times is going to capture our children—that they’ll be making choices and living lives and paying the consequences of a value system they’ve picked up from the world around them, one that rejects the truth of the Bible, one that glorifies sex and violence and laughs at drunkenness and rudeness, one that mocks biblical morality.
But the race is not lost; on the other hand, we don’t have any time or effort to lose. We can still transfer our values to the next generation; we can still pass on biblical values to our children and teenagers; we can still equip them to live godly lives in the midst of an ungodly world. But to do so, we have to get going on the model God gave to Israel for teaching His truths to succeeding generations.
To do so, we have to build relationships. God’s model for teaching biblical truth to young people called for us to have an in-depth relationship with them. But how can we expect to teach living truths to our kids if we don’t spend any time with them, if we’re never around, if we’re never sitting in our house, if we’re never walking with them by the way? The chief way we’re muffing our transfer of godly values to our children is by royally messing up our relationships! We can’t impart truth apart from honest, meaningful relationships. God wants us to teach His truths in every single relational interaction with our kids—even the most mundane.
To do so, we have to set the example. Whether you know it or not, you’re being watched. And the things you model—by design or by accident—powerfully communicate your convictions about right and wrong. If we want to pass on biblical values to our children, we must model those values in our own lives. The Word of God must be on our hearts before we can impress them upon the hearts and minds of our kids. We must live consistent lives that model biblical standards.
To do so, we have to share the truth. Our example is vital, but passing our values on to our children includes instruction. Instilling biblical values requires a commitment to teach our children consistently, repeatedly, at every opportunity, that there is a standard of right and wrong that transcends human ideas and opinions. But in our day and time those opportunities no longer come easily. But that doesn’t mean we’ve lost the battle. It simply means that we have to seize every opportunity to teach biblical truths and godly values to our kids.
The Hebrews made religion an integral part of life. Their religious education was life-oriented, not information-oriented. They used the context of daily life to teach about God. So it is that the key to teaching our children to love God is stated simply and clearly in these verses. If we want our children to follow God, we must make God a part of our everyday experiences. We must teach our children to see God in all aspects of life, not just those that are church related.
Years ago I ran across a list entitled “The Top Ten Ways to Turn Off Your Kids to Church” and thought it would be good for us to examine ourselves to make sure these characteristics don’t become true of us: 10) Do the best you can to make sure the kids arrive on time to soccer practice and school events, but don’t worry if they miss or are late to church; 9) Schedule personal or family events to conflict with church services and activities; 8) Bring your family to church only when you have nothing better to do or only when you have a personal need or only when you feel really guilty; 7) Financially support your church and its missions with the same enthusiasm you pay taxes; 6) Remind your kids how imperfect your church leaders are and regularly point out their mistakes; 5) Look often at your watch during worship and complain bitterly or look annoyed or freak out when church lasts longer than you think it should; 4) Don’t get too close to anyone in church. Refrain from developing relationships with Christians lest your children learn the joy and benefits of fellowship with other believers; 3) Don’t volunteer for anything or make any kind of long-term commitment at church. Remember, you’ve got to keep your options open to do things that are more important; 2) Change churches every few years; and 1) Whatever you do, don’t let church influence the way you live your life.
A young Jewish boy who grew up in Germany had a profound admiration for his father, who saw to it that his family’s life revolved around the religious practices of their faith. But in his teen years, the boy’s family moved to another German town—a town with no synagogue, only a Lutheran church. Soon after the move, the father announced that they were going to abandon their Jewish traditions and join the Lutheran church—not because he’d come to faith in Christ but because he said it would be good for his business. The youngster’s confusion gave way to anger and intense bitterness that plagued him through his life. After moving to England to study, he began work on a book in which he introduced a whole new worldview and conceived a movement designed to change the world. The finished book he called Das Capital; his name was Karl Marx, the founder of communism.
When we sell our faith to the highest bidder, we set our whole family up for failure. But God promises that if we put Him first, He’ll bless our family. That doesn’t mean that bad things aren’t going to happen, but it does mean that when they do, God will give us the strength to face whatever this world throws at us.
Sure, church is important, and your pastors and leaders and teachers are all here to help you and encourage you and reinforce your efforts in your home. But we can’t do your faith for you. And you can’t expect your family to catch your faith by osmosis. You can’t expect them to just absorb your belief because you think godly thoughts. The Bible instructs you to impress your faith on your children, to talk about it at home, on the road, when you go to bed, when you get up, to tie it to your hands, to bind it on your forehead, to write it on your doorframe. These are all action verbs. God isn’t calling for a mumbled piety; He’s calling for an active faith. And this active faith has got to be a true faith. It dare not be a put on. It dare not be something you wear on your sleeve. If your faith isn’t real, your family will know it—and they’ll have a special word to describe who you are: hypocrite.
It’s time for us who say that the Lord is our God to act like He is our God. That means we must not only say we believe in truth, we must not only say we believe in right and wrong, we must act like people who believe in truth, we must behave like people who believe in right and wrong! And there’s still time for you.
Let us pray: O Lord, may our love be pure, may our relationships be deep, may our example be consistent, may our sharing of Your truth be with purpose, may our memory be sharp, may our devotion be clear, may our obedience be with the right attitude, may our dedication be real. Make our lives a compass directing all those who come after us toward You. Bond us together that we may encourage the young to be true disciples of Your Son. For it’s in His name that we pray.
