Numbers 14:18 ‘I, the LORD, am not easily angered, and I show great love and faithfulness and forgive sin and rebellion. Yet I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.’
We are like our parents. We inherit their genes and we adopt their teachings, whether verbal or actions. We learn good things and bad, because all parents are imperfect people. So even good parents can unintentionally teach ways that are not God’s ways. As scripture says throughout the book of Kings “he walked in the way of his father” and had a similar fate. We are always to seek God and to know His ways and His teaching and His righteousness because all else falls short of the glory of God. We ought to learn from the mistakes of our parents. If I continue to do the same as my parents, then I’m going to have the same consequences and I’m going to teach my children those ways and they will continue the consequences. Especially when I know better. So I want to do better so my children won’t repeat it and endure the same consequences.
Luke 12:47-48 NASB1995[47] And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, [48] but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
As children grow into teenagers they see things in their parents they don’t like and don’t want to be like. As a wise man said “it’s not enough to know what we don’t want to do, we have to know what we will do instead.” So when I see my parent’s suffering under sin consequence, just as they can see me suffering under my sin consequenes- it’s my responsibility to do better. My parents modeled the Christian life for me. Expected me to do as I was taught. James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
My mom later in life was convicted of focusing too much on her friends. She began confessing it to me. I in return confessed having that sin as well. My idolizing of friends and women in the church was learned from my mom. It goes unchecked because it doesn’t seem like a sin, but it is and God certainly wanted to sift it out of me. Afterall, He is a jealous God. Exodus 34:14 —for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— This sin is easier to repent from in that there is one clear action: fix my eyes on Him Hebrews 12:2. “The only one worthy of my praise. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods” Psalm 96:4 I think my mom developed this sin weakness because her mother was very outspoken, “social butterfly” somewhat unavailable as she liked to be at the beauty parlor and playing cards with her friends. So my mom often went wanting her attention. I can relate. My mom wanted to be accepted and included by her older, a prestigious and wealthy half sister by her mother. My grandmother was a war widow with a daughter when my grandfather married her. My mom was always clothed in strength and dignity. Our hearts ache for love and belonging. As humans we often seek that from the wrong places.
My mom had the spiritual gift of hospitality and she exercised it regularly. She used it all the way through to the end of her life. Even after she had Aphasia and while she lived in memory care. My dad’s spiritual gifts is not as apparent as my mom’s. I wish I could talk with him about it, but I would say he has the gift of faith. They both did. I think he had the gift of prophecy and discernment like me but didn’t like to exercise it. Probably for the same reason I don’t. Others will call you a know it all and minimize that I would have such a gift. It silences and silence makes the gifts unused, which is a sin. Our pastor would even say God will take away unused gifts. It’s like Moses when God wanted him to give His message to Pharoah. Moses said Exodus 4:1 Then Moses said, “What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”