Who Raised This Man?

Who raised this man?  That was asked by Steven, a pastoral student from Kenya about our grandson, Michael, who is a pastor and is privileged to be one of Steven’s mentors on his journey. Impressed with Mike’s character and teaching, Steven said his first thought was – “Who raised this man? I want to meet his parents and grandparents, if they are living.”  Their culture respects and expects interaction with their older generations, and this would be a common question for them. (I think Americans would tend more to ask where he attended training). We had the privilege to share our testimonies, a bit of God’s work in our lives, and to pray together.

Our time and Steven’s question was really thought provoking, as I’d recently been assigned writing about impacting another generation for friend Deborah Malone’s book, Bloom in Your Winter Season. Ironically my assignment was Lois (Timothy’s grandmother) and Timothy – and their generational impact.

When we parted, Steven reminded us that our meeting was of historical impact to his family, because when he went back to Kenya to pastor, his growth and teaching would have been impacted by our three generations and would be impacting the generations of his family and outreach in Kenya. It was a profound experience.

There is another family I wonder if others in their culture asked, “Who raised this man?”  Of course, I am speaking of the family of Jesus.  People were amazed at him and his teaching:

Matthew 7:28-29 (NLT)

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

John 7:15 (NLT)

The people were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

I think they also asked that question, “Who raised this man?”  We know his earthly parents were Mary and Joseph, but who were his grandparents?  Little is known about them. What did they teach Mary that she was willing on hearing an angel, to follow God’s will without question.

What did Mary’s parents get taught that they so influenced their daughter?  And what impact did Josephs parents and grandparents have on his life and his faith and support of Mary’s actions and beliefs.

I thought of scriptures directions of how to raise our families:   A vital parenting scripture is

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NASB) These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Though many, if not most of those I speak to have children who are grown and have left their home, I believe we can continue to impart the teachings of God whether they are near or far by 1) living the Word as much as possible so they can see it works 2) answering their questions with scripture and 3) pray for them according to this passage “diligently, talking of them to God when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, and when we lie down and when we rise up.

A friend and I were sharing about our next generations today and how some have troubled spirits and need extra prayer.  Sometimes, my friend said, her children would more easily accept teaching/advice/opinion from other people than their parents. I think we can all relate to that statement and have even more reason to pray according to Deuteronomy 6:6-7.

Some of us had other people who raised us spiritually.  Who raised you physically and spiritually?