The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Numbers 14:18
This week, an insightful reader left a comment on my face book page about last week’s blog. She said that some young parents, as a token of their love, have their children’s names tattooed on their bodies. However, she suggested that instead having themselves tattooed, these young parents should show their love for their children by taking them to church.
I wholeheartedly agree. Real love is not about permanently inking a child’s name on your body. Tattoos are only skin-deep (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun). True, long-lasting love is better served through permanently inking a life-saving relationship with Jesus Christ on your child’s heart.
However, this week’s lesson is not about tattoos or even the church. It is about cursed legacies, or generational curses that sometimes we unintentionally pass onto our children.
Most parents don’t intend to harm their children—that is the furthest thing from their minds. Unfortunately, whether they intend to or not, parents can harm their children through wrong life choices. Wrong words and actions can corrupt an innocent child (Galatians 5:9).
When parents are addicted to immoral behaviors, their children suffer. For example, an alcoholic may turn violent and begin verbally or even physically abusing an innocent child. Or money that’s setback for food and clothing is wasted by the drug addict. A child trapped in that type of environment can eventually view this as normal behavior; and as such, that child has a greater likelihood of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. This is a generational curse.
But there are other types of destructive behaviors that plague many families. Sometimes completely oblivious to the possible ramifications, parents engage in behaviors that adversely affect their children.
Take for instance, a parent who constantly lies. In time, the children of that parent believe that lying is okay and they begin to accept it as normal behavior. This is another cursed legacy. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all Liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, KJV, emphasis mine).
Perhaps you say, “That’s not me…I would never lie.” So let’s look at another example. Do you fault, criticize, or make jokes about your parents or in-laws? Maybe it’s your mother-in-law or your father-in-law that you like to drag through the mud. Be warned! Inadvertently, you may be passing down a generational curse. Through your own disrespectful words, your child thinks that it’s okay to belittle older generations. “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you…” (Deuteronomy 5:16, NLT).
Then there are times that you may be tempted to go on faultfinding missions, talking about someone behind his or her back. That can be another cursed legacy. Children, though they may be small, they have big ears. What type of disease are you sowing into their little souls? “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and Gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning…” (Romans 1:29-30, NLT, emphasis mine).
I know that I am throwing some hard punches today, but it’s only because I love you. You and I have to wise up so that we can clean up (notice I included myself in that statement). Yes, I too am guilty of some of this junk.
Since some of these topics may be hitting too close to home, let’s wrap it up with one last curse, “Truth in living.” This is a hard one so I am glad that I am not standing in front of you right now.
What type of legacy are you leaving to your children when they hear you speaking “Christianese” while you are in church, but when they see you at home, you do not live the Christian walk? In other words, you may say that you believe the Bible is the Word of God, but your children never see you open the pages of the Bible. Or you may behave one way when you are at church, but at home you curse, scream, and say all sorts of ugly things. A hypocritical religious spirit often leaves lifelong ink stains on a child’s soul. Those stains can be hard to remove.
Okay, I am done slinging dirt so now let me help you dust off. You cannot change your past—what has been done, has been done. But your future can change.
God is mightier than every “Generational Curse.” Whether the curse was handed down to you or whether you have handed it down to your own children…God is still mightier. In John 10:10, Jesus said that the thief (Satan) came to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came so that you can have life…life more abundantly. Through His blood, you and your family can be whole. God is merciful and He forgives when you repent. Not only does He forgive, but He also heals (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Starting today, begin sowing a new legacy for your children. Ink the Word of God upon their little hearts, minds, and souls.
…for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:5-6(KJV)
Three Key Concepts:
1. We can leave our children a cursed legacy through our own words and actions.
2. God is mightier than all generational curses.
3. God is merciful and He forgives us when we repent.
