Hand-Me-Downs: Baggage
Monday, March 13, 2023
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
"He lays the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations."
Numbers 14:18 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Parents hand down possessions to their children. Antiques, rings, the family Bible, property . . . Through their influence, they also hand down character traits, beliefs, habits, behaviors . . .
Some hand-me-downs are good. Others can result in pain, dysfunction, and aimlessness. Whenever a family member has a life-controlling problem, the entire family is affected. These negative behaviors can be handed down from generation to generation if the chain is not broken.
Although much attention is given to alcoholism running in families, other dependencies and behaviors often have similar results. Negative attitudes and unproductive lifestyles can also pass from generation to generation.
Consider this …
Many children grow into adulthood carrying baggage they picked up during childhood. Dysfunctional behaviors and belief systems children learn from parents often affect their adult relationships.
The good news is that the grip of dysfunctional hand-me-downs can be broken. This week we will look at words of hope from God's Word for sons and daughters who have been handed down dysfunctional pain.
“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV
Prayer
Father, I thank you that no matter what negative influences have affected my life, there is hope in Jesus and in the promises of the Bible. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from … Understanding the Times and Knowing What to Do by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee. This book offers biblical strategies for ministry to our family and friends. Contemporary issues and needs faced by society are addressed with biblical principles that are timeless. Ideal for small group leaders and Sunday school teachers who want a better understanding of ministry in an addictive culture.
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