Family Patterns
What kind of patterns does your family have? You may have received traditions from your parents, which they received from their parents, but it is our choice whether we continue the patterns or set new ones. Some patterns are innocuous. On Christmas Day in my family growing up we would spend a few hours opening gifts. My mom sat with a pad and pen and wrote down who gave what to whom, so thank you notes could be promptly sent out. Each gift was opened with care and “oohs” and “aahs” were uttered as the gift was passed around for all to see. We still do that today and I have taken on the role of my mom. My parents were both readers, and for as long as I can remember I read every day. Think about the patterns you learned from your parents, that you have adopted and want to pass on to your own children.
We have patterns for expressing love. Some families are very physical, and hug and touch each other a lot, while others are more restrained. We learned these patterns from our parents. Many of the patterns and traditions we follow were more imbibed than explicitly learned. We witnessed what our parents did, and we did the same in our own families.
As I read through Genesis, I am reminded of patterns in Abraham’s family. Abraham set an example for his children of a godly parent. He obeyed God when he was told to sacrifice his only son Isaac. But he also set an example of lying about his wife, claiming she was his sister.
“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.” Genesis 20:2
Several years later his son Isaac followed his father’s example to the letter.
“So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said ‘She is my sister,’ for he feared to say ‘My wife,’ thinking ‘lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,’ because she was attractive in appearance.” Genesis 26:6-7
As we begin this new year, let’s take some time to pause and consider the patterns and traditions we are passing on to our own children. What examples are we setting? Let’s thank God for the good patterns, and ask Him to work in us to change the patterns that do not glorify Him, and adopt and pass on healthy, godly patterns.
Thank you for the reminder to be more conscience about our behavior, glorifying Him in what we do and say.
Thanks Iris. It’s amazing to see the (bad) patterns running through families in the Old Testament.
Great Word and reminder that little eyes are watching and what we do today may impact their tomorrow’s. Good or bad, we all influence others to repeat what they see us do. ((Hugs))
Yes indeed Laurie!