Spencer and I are both reading through 2 Samuel right now. I love being on the same Bible reading plan as my husband because it provides so much fodder for spiritual conversation. I was asking a young couple the other day how their marriage was. They said, "It's OK-- but we're not having family devotions or praying together like we should." My response to them was, "Family devotions are all well and good and I highly recommend them, but don't stress out about it. The main thing is-- are you both regularly in the Word and are you have spiritual conversation??" But I digress. Back to 2 Samuel... I read 2 Samuel 15 and 16 this morning. It's the story about Absalom setting Joab's fields on fire to get the attention of his father, King David. Have you ever known a child with so much anger in his heart--so much rebellion in his soul that you can literally see the fire in his eyes? Have you ever felt that fire yourself? So many parents make such a miniscule spiritual investment in their children and then wonder why they lose their hearts. I'll tell you this much--merely taking your child to church on a weekly basis isn't going to be enough to keep his heart. If you want to keep your child's heart, you're going to have to be true and authentic at home and do the spiritual training YOURSELF. Any training your kid's get at church should only be the CREAM. The real training happens at home--on the home turf. Twenty-four/seven. Throwing money at your children won't do it either. Frankly, buying your way out of authentic child training might end up costing you more than you bargained for--and I don't mean in the way of finances either. Mark 8:36 shouts to my heart: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or tweak that verse and apply it to parenting-- "For what shall it profit your child, if you give him the whole world, and lose his soul." I just can't read the story of Absalom without thinking of a sermon in booklet form that I read several years ago entitled "Changing the Heart of a Rebel" by Dr. S.M. Davis. I've given away several copies of this booklet over the years and now it's available via the internet, so I recommend it to you. Praying for myself and all of the parents in my church today. May our children be our banner for the Gospel as we endeavor to win our friends and our community to Christ.