A video devotional

Planting the right idea's

I just finished reading an article in Mission Frontiers titled Ideas Can Be More Powerful Than Money.  The author is basically making the case that by planting an idea in the mind of nationals and missionaries it has broken the cycle of unhealthy dependance upon foreign support.  I thought it was an interesting article as I have been thinking about the concept of ideas lately anyways.  The author makes his point by citing concrete examples that he has encountered.  Although the idea was actually planted some 10 or more years ago.
But this led me to ask the question "What Ideas am I planting into my kids?"  And are they solid ideas?  Or shallow ones?  Then the bigger question is for me "What are the essential ideas I should be teaching/planting into my kids?  In my mind ideas aren't necessarily "taught" I think they are 'shared' or embodied, something that can be caught as well as taught.  There is a time for formal teaching but also a time for quick "idea plants"  An idea that is formed over time, that takes root and grows.
So what are the essential ideas?  Here's my short list:

• There is a God
• Jesus Christ is God
• The Bible is true

These are the first 3 that came to mind when I asked myself the question this morning.  I'm sure there are others and I will explore them as well in the future but for now I'm going to stick to this short list and see where it takes me and more importantly where it takes my kids.

Learning to speak their language

I was having breakfast with a friend this morning who has just recently entered the world of "texting".  I was surprised when he text me yesterday to confirm the meeting.  When asked about his new found ability to communicate he shared with me that while sitting at a meal with his family the other day he decided to text the rest of his extended family (sons and daughter-in-laws) something that had happened with one of his children.  To his surprise he got responses from his extended family almost immediately, when he had previously not heard from them in months.
We discussed how I had realized that it is an effective way to communicate with my teens as well.  When I send an e-mail it may or may not be read in a timely manner.  But when I send a text I get almost immediate response.  As we grow older we have to continue to adapt to the communication forms of our children and the next generation if we want to remain a frequent part of their lives.