There are all kinds of things that we teach our kids. There are the things we intentionally and directly teach them such as good table manners and how to mow the lawn.
There are also things that we teach mostly by our example. As our kids watch us, they learn what is appropriate or glean lessons through how we handle situations and treat others. Many of these lessons are not intentional and they can be good or bad. For example, a man might talk to his son about how he should treat girls, but his own interactions with his wife might teach a completely different lesson. Some of us might not talk about the importance of engaging with our church, but we show our children how much we value it and what it looks like as we serve and make our church a priority.
Teach and Show Biblical Worldview
There are also many things that we should not only teach but also emulate to our kids. One without the other could leave a gaping hole. I believe one critical subject to teach and live out is a biblical worldview.
In short, a biblical worldview refers to the lens or framework of ideas and beliefs through which a follower of Jesus sees and interprets the world and shapes how they interact with it. It is the avenue to how we make sense of life and our world. It answers the question, "Why do I exist?"
Living as Exiles in a Foreign Land
The book of 1 Peter starts off this way: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles..." (1 Peter 1:1 ESV).
The phrase elect exiles has to do with a Christian's relationship with God and the world. Elect, or chosen, refers to the fact that we belong to God. We are his. If we have turned to Jesus through faith and repentance and received his free gift of grace and forgiveness, we have become adopted sons through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). We are no longer alienated from God. As Christians, we move from being alienated from God to now being aliens to this world. This is where the next word exile comes in. This world is no longer our home. It is not our hope. It has become our temporary residence, whereas one day we will spend eternity with God as a citizen of a new heaven and a new earth.
In a recent sermon by Pastor J.D. Greear, he spoke about three categories that can describe you when living in a country that you are not from. You can either be an immigrant, a tourist, or an exile.
- An immigrant is someone who is seeking to make this new country their permanent home.
- A tourist is the opposite of an immigrant. They are not from the country and have no intention of living there; they are just visiting. There is no real connection to the place as they generally stay huddled in their groups, primarily speak their own language, and stay in a temporary residence. As a tourist, you don't have a connection to the political and social problems of the society, or at least not to the same level as someone who calls that place their home.
- An exile is someone whose home is somewhere else, but for an amount of time, they have to make their home in the new place. Because of this, they invest in their new community, form relationships, and learn the culture. Yet, they don't want to get too attached and they continue to look for the day that they can go back home.
Christians Are Chosen Exiles
Peter calls Christians chosen exiles. Because we are God's, this world is no longer our home. This is a temporary place for us. We have been placed here for a purpose, but it is not our home. The idea is that we are to not be obsessed with our experiences here in this world. We belong to a different kingdom. We have a different set of values. Our treasure should not be in the things that we can accomplish and gather in this world. Our hope should not be in our status, stability, and the wealth of this world.
Our Worldview Matters
We can look at things the same way as the rest of our culture, but that stands in stark contrast to how we are called to live by Scripture. A biblical worldview is something that we want to spend intentional time talking about with our kids. We want to help them understand what the Bible has to say and help them develop the appropriate filter for them to properly view and navigate this world. Our teaching really matters. But our teaching isn't enough.
This challenged me and I hope it challenges you. What do the actions of your life show in terms of a healthy biblical worldview? Are you acting in the manner of an exile? Or are you showing the lifestyle of an immigrant or a tourist? An immigrant is going to leverage most of their resources to make a comfortable life here rather than viewing them as an opportunity to care for others and further the gospel. An immigrant mindset will stress over what you have and don't have. A tourist attitude may try to stay separated from this world and not be involved, never trying to develop a connection and engage it with the gospel. They are so focused on another place that they forget how God can use them right where they are.
Our kids need our teaching and instruction as we point them to Scripture. They also need to see an example of a life that has a healthy, biblical worldview being lived out by us. These two things together will disciple them toward a robust biblical worldview.