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I tend to spot challenges in the Bible when they relate to men. It surprised me, therefore, when I noticed the names of two inspirational ladies when reading the Bible this morning. Paul, writing his second letter to Timothy, wrote the following: 'I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.' (2 Timothy 1:5) I would like us to start by identifying some key doctrines highlighted in this verse before giving some practical application.

Faith dwells

The word which stands out in this verse is 'dwell'; the faith 'dwelt' in Timothy's Mum and Grandma, and now 'dwells' in him also. This is an encouragement; Wesley wrote that this word is 'not applied to a transient guest, but only to a settled inhabitant'. By saying this Paul is underlining the fact that faith is not something which comes and goes, but which almost moves in and takes up residence in our hearts. Lois and Eunice had both received this faith, and Paul was sure that Timothy was the same. Is it not truly wonderful, marvellous even, that our faith does not depend on our own actions but simply remains with us infinitely. Thank you Jesus for your grace!

The responsibility

The key to unlock this verse, however, is that Timothy appears to have inherited faith from his Mum, and surely what greater responsibility is there? Parents, and I would take a risk in saying Mums in particular, can live in perpetual fear of not wanting to hem in their children too much yet not wanting to give them no boundaries, not wanting to force Christianity down their throats yet desiring so deeply for them to become Christians. What was the trick to Lois and Eunice's passing on of their faith? I think that the answer is two-fold, visible and invisible:

Fan into flame

Paul's immediate conclusion from this verse is to encourage Timothy to use the gifts given to him by God. My view is that Paul's hope was that in Timothy's good witness by using his gifts faithfully to serve others would be greatly encouraged and would follow his example. Surely this is also true in family lines; a married couple who faithfully serve in the church and give generously as a result of their love to God will set a good example for their children to follow, and the chances that their child(ren) will follow that lead are significantly increased.

What's that about fear?

Bringing up children carries with it so much uncertainty about the future that worry is sure to come as part of the package of being a parent. The relief is that the Bible has instruction for us. Jesus said, 'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28) If we simply lean on Jesus, our worries and anxieties can be taken by him and we can begin to enjoy the role of parenting...but how? Thankfully, Peter clarified this: 'Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.' (1 Peter 5:6-7)

So the way to be rid of this fear and to be freed to serve our children the best we can is to humble ourselves; here's what that looks like. Humbling myself means recognising that I am not as good as I perhaps think that I am and asking for help from another. If we turn towards God in prayer over our children faithfully then we can relax, knowing that He will care for them, even as He cares for us.

So here are the two things we should do: (1) model Christianity well before our children, and (2) diligently pray for them continually. Whether or not they eventually take that step into the Kingdom is essentially outside of our control, but it is in God's hand. And whose hand would our children be better in?

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

"Lord God, You Have a Funny Way of Working at Times"