Parents, if you could get your kids to do one thing, what would it be?  Think before you answer.  This is your chance.  Don’t waste your one wish.  You want something long lasting – something that will bear fruit in the long run.  What would you say?  Ready for my answer?

OBEDIENCE.

The most important trait that we, as parents, need to instill in our children is obedience.  Obedience to teachers.  Obedience to police officers.  Obedience to librarians, bus drivers, firemen, and of course, most important of all, OBEDIENCE TO PRIESTS – especially the really cool ones who blog and do stuff like that!

Nothing is more important than this.  Agree?

I think if you ask God the same question, His answer would be the same.  “God, what are You looking for in us as Your children?  Do you want us to pray a lot?  Fast a lot?  Give a lot?  Memorize the Bible?  What?” 

His answer comes in two easy to remember verses:  John 14:15 & John 15:14:

“If you love Me, keep my commandments.”  John 14:15
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  John 15:14

Once upon a time, there was a rich king who was preparing for battle.  When choosing his horse for battle, his servants lined up all his options in front of him.  There stood in front of him several horses to choose from:  strong horses, fast horses, beautiful horses.

But when it came time to choose, for some reason the king left all those horses behind and chose a small horse.  It wasn’t the fastest, strongest or most beautiful.  It didn’t really have any defining characteristics on the outside.  So why did he choose it?

It was the most OBEDIENT!

The king wasn’t interested in a fancy horse.  He didn’t need one to win a beauty pageant; he needed one to win a war!  He just needed one that would obey – that would stop when he said STOP and would run when he said RUN.  Obedience was the key criteria for the king and it is the same in our relationship with the Lord.

I think our King in heaven is looking for the same.  He wants to bless you, His child, in a great way.  Not because you’re the smartest child or the best looking child or the child who has memorized the most verses – the child who will be blessed most by God is the one who is the most obedient child.

I love this verse from 2 Chronicles 16:9:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Did you know that God is on a search right now, as we speak/read.  He is looking for children to bless.  To bless mightily!  But the criteria is obedience – not because He wants to take away our fun/freedom.  It's the exact opposite.  As any good father, He wants to give us more and more good things but He knows what we can handle and what we can’t.  It’s time to stop telling our kids to be obedient when we ourselves are not ready to lead by example with our Heavenly Father.

We all want our children to learn obedience.  Maybe it’s time we start taking our own advice.

Ask yourself:  Is there an area of your life where you KNOW that God is calling you to be more obedient?  What are you going to do about that?