Continued” from last week ” Seeing to it that children have family chores and a proper work ethic, also develops the key concept of responsibility. This contributes to a sense of belonging to the family unit, and can help develop a sense of personal satisfaction in being successful at finishing their assignments or commitments. Responsibility also helps to prepare them for the real world of adulthood, where following through on assignments in college and later on the job can be crucial to their success. Ultimately, the strong concept of personal responsibility will better prepare them in their commitment to God, His spiritual laws and His way of life. ” Outgoing Concern in Action ” Jesus Christ and the apostles repeatedly taught that the very foundation of God’s way of life is the godly character trait of love. The Savior stated: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Paul summarized it well when he stated: “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). This essential trait of Jesus Christ and of the Father can perhaps be best described as “outgoing concern.” If our children are going to grow up really wanting to follow their parents in seeking God and living a life “in His image,” it is absolutely essential that children learn this core trait of God, through the actions of the parents! Obviously, outgoing concern must be experienced and shown consistently, day by day, from parent to child, as well as between husband and wife. If this is not the case, all the preaching and teaching in the world by the parents will not accomplish the desired goal. Children are very observant critics, often citing hypocrisy as a reason for abandoning their parent’s belief system.
