People
in business and in real estate will tell you that there are three keys for
success – location, location, location.
The idea is that in order to succeed you must place yourself in a
location where you might prosper. This
is true of real estate. If you want to
have a nice home you must find a place that is in a good location, a nice
neighborhood.
If you
want to have a successful business you have to choose a location that will
facilitate growth and good business.
Where you are is an important determining factor on your ability to
succeed or fail.
The
same is true of our faith and our ability to grow strong spiritually. The psalmist offers some guidance on how to
be spiritually successful. What should a
blessed person avoid? What should a blessed
person seek out? What comparison is
made?
A great
deal of our spiritual potential is determined on how we are raised up. If parents desire their children to live a
blessed life, to have a prosperous life, to grow strong in faith then they must
provide an environment that helps this growth.
Parents should guard their children against the negative influences of
society and the world. Parents should be
an example of holy living.
If any
of us – whether biological parents, adoptive parents, or spiritual parents –
want another to succeed in faith, to be blessed by the presence of God we must
put them in a location where they might succeed. That location is provided by us.
It is
the responsibility of parents and the responsibility of all other believers to
provide a spiritually nurturing environment for another person to grow in
faith. This applies to all believers who
are part of the body of faith where young children are present. We all must set the good examples of belief
and kindness and love for these youngsters.
It also
applies to those who are young in their spiritual walk. We all should be that guidance, that nurturing
presence which encourages strong and holy living. We must guide the young – those who are
children and those who are new to the faith – in walking in the ways of
God. We must guide them away from the
influences of evil people, of the temptations to sin in the world.
When we
provide a location that is holy and spiritually nurturing we are like gardeners
planting trees near a stream. The young
among us are able to grow strong in faith and in a relationship with God.
DAILY
CHALLENGE: Examine the environment that
you are providing. Is it a place that
helps others grow in faith? Does it lead
to a blessed life? Are there
improvements that should be made?
