A Positive Spin on the Ten Commandments

I have often talked to parents about the importance of writing family mission statements or family creeds to help pass faith from one generation to the next. Many children grow up in Christian homes not really sure about what their parents (or they themselves) believe. Last month I wrote an article for our church’s parent newsletter on that same topic. Here it is:

In the book of Deuteronomy, parents are instructed to “impress” the commandments of God upon their children (6:7). What does this mean? The word impress in the original Hebrew means to permanently fix or brand, similar to what takes place when a farmer brands his cattle.

So how do we brand the commandments of God on our children? Obviously we aren’t supposed to tattoo them on our children’s bodies. Our goal is to brand them on our children’s hearts and minds.

Let me suggest one way to do this. We can teach the commandments to our children not as a negative list of things they shouldn’t do (“shalt not’s) but as a positive list of things they get to do as members of your family and as followers of Jesus Christ. You might even want to rewrite the Ten Commandments especially for your family as a mission statement or creed. Here’s an example:

Our Family Mission Statement

1. We will love and serve God, who first loved us and gave his Son to die on the Cross for our sins.
2. We will keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
3. We will be ambassadors for Christ and share his love with others whenever we have the opportunity.
4. We will devote special time every week for worship, prayer, reading Scripture and serving others.
5. We will love and respect our parents, grandparents and others who care for us, teach us and provide for us.
6. We will live in peace and harmony with others, forgiving those who wrong us rather than hurting them or seeking revenge.
7. We will remain sexually pure and faithful in our personal relationships.
8. We will be honest and trustworthy in all that we do.
9. We will be honest and trustworthy in all that we say.
10. We will be thankful and content with all that God has given to us.

Of course the best way to impress these things on your children is to live them out consistently at home every single day. I guarantee you … they will be impressed indeed!