the BLOPE

In our last post we talked about the power of symbols.  I challenged you to consider how you could use symbols as a tool to help you pass down faith to your teenager. The reason I believe this is an appropriate method is that God used it. In Genesis 9:13-17 God used a rainbow as a symbol of His promise In Genesis 28:18-22 Jacob established a monument to remind himself of God’s promise to bless his descendants In Genesis 7:8-13 Aaron’s staff became a symbol to Pharaoh of God’s presence with the Israelites and His power  In Exodus 12 the Passover feast is rich with symbolism none more important than the use of the Lamb to represent coming salvation and it goes on and on…. the monument of 12 stones when the tribes of Israel crossed the Jordan river the 10 commandments given on stone tablets the ark of the covenant the Temple on an on… It’s not just in the Old Testament either.  In the New Testament we see symbols: the gifts of the Magi to Jesus in Luke 2 Jesus washing His disciples’ feet

I want to talk to you today about symbols.  A symbol is an object that has meaning attached to it, but it is also a great tool in the parent’s tool belt. Here are some examples of important symbols you may have in your life that carry important meaning: a wedding ring refrigerator art from when your teenager was a child a family heirloom that was passed down to you a moment in time that was captured in a photograph an item from your childhood home that takes you back in time when you look at it Symbols are powerful.  Today I would like to suggest that you harness the power of symbols to help pass down faith to your teenager. I will never forget when I visited Washington D.C. when I was in college.  We walked from monument to monument trying to understand something about the importance of America’s history. Washington D.C. is filled with symbols.  Each monument, each museum, and each statue tells the story of our nation. The power of symbols is evident today. Look how many are being tor