Do you remember when you were old enough to get your driver’s license?  It was such an exciting time.  I remember getting the driver’s handbook, taking a driver’s training course, and spending three hours every week, for ten weeks with a driving instructor (I only drove for an hour, but had to be in the car while the other two students took their turns driving).

Last February I took my oldest son, Brandon, to go for his G1 (I’m so thankful I didn’t have to deal with graduated licensing).  After he passed his test we got some takeout to celebrate and when we got close to home I pulled over and let him take the driver’s seat while I sat in the passenger seat.

I fully expected him to hop in and drive us home.  But he didn’t.  He looked at me and said, “What do I do?”

I was surprised.  And then it started to dawn on me that even though he’d spent countless hours in the car with me, and we’d had some conversations about driving, I never taught him to drive.  I just assumed he’d seen it enough to know how.

I hadn’t been intentional enough.

This experience reminded me of how intentional we must be in the spiritual growth of our kids.  Just because they come to church with us and say grace at meals doesn’t mean they’ll have a vibrant relationship with God if we’re not intentional in showing them how.

Just like being around an engineer doesn’t make you an engineer, or, being around a doctor doesn’t make you a doctor, neither does being around Christians make you a Christian.  It might help point you in that direction, but it doesn’t make you one.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Proverbs 22:6.

Training doesn’t happen by osmosis.  Nor can it be done in one shot.  Training must be done with consistency over an extended period of time.

Jesus was intentional about teaching his disciples, let’s be intentional about teaching our kids.

I am thankful to share that we were intentional about discipling our kids and that they have a relationship with the Lord.  I’m also thankful that Brandon is an excellent driver.