John Piper has said, “America is the first culture in jeopardy of amusing itself to death.” I agree with Piper. We seem to be so busy looking for entertainment, that we risk missing the point.
Is your student wasting the Summer? Okay, here’s the question as we’re now into a good chunk of summer: How do you know if your student is wasting the Summer? And, what does “wasting the Summer” even mean? Here’s how to ask better questions so your kids don’t waste their Summer.
Don’t waste the Summer: ask better questions.
In his book Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper writes,
“God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives.”
Piper describes how most people slip by in life without a burning passion for God, spending their lives on trivial diversions, living for comfort and pleasure, and perhaps trying to avoid sin. Does this sound like anyone you know?
With this in mind, your desire should be that your child lives intentionally for Jesus and cultivates a vibrant walk with Him. Here are some diagnostic questions for your child—so he guards against wasting the Summer:
- Is he cultivating his relationship with Jesus through prayer and Bible study a priority in his daily schedule (Josh. 1:8, 1 Thess. 5:17)?
- Does he show genuine care and love toward others, including siblings and parents? (Matt. 7:1-12)
- Does he have sincere worship and desire to be in fellowship with other believers? (59 “One Another” passages, Ps. 63:1-4)
- Is he showing signs of compassion for the lost and is he taking steps to share Christ with them? (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8)
Did you answer no to any of these questions? By God’s grace, you can still make the most of the Summer and live passionately for Jesus. It’s never too late.
I’ve found that these things are sometimes better caught than taught. This leads to the challenge for us as dads to live these out. First, how are you doing in these areas?
Do you need help getting started with some of these questions? In addition to Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper, I’ve compiled a few resources on each of the above questions wherever you or your child may be in your walks.
- Bible study habits: 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, Topical Memory System
- Developing deeper love for others: 31 Ways to Be a “One-Another” Christian: Loving Others with the Love of Jesus
- Desire for worship and fellowship: Desiring God, Knowing God, and When I Don’t Desire God
- Compassion for the lost: Gentle and Lowly, The Master Plan of Evangelism
Question: What resources would you add to this list?
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