Cain eventually quit wandering and settled down. He built a city and had a child named Enoch (Genesis 4:17). Exodus 20:3 says that the sins of a father are passed on to the third and fourth generations. Cain carried a mark because of his sin…he was cursed. Does that mean Enoch, his son, was cursed?
My hope as I read this was that his children would not have to carry his curse into the future. That is what we hope for ourselves too, isn’t it? We have kids of our own and do not want them to make the same mistakes we did. Yet if we are honest, we can see ourselves in our kids daily…the good and the bad. So how do we stop the curse?
Our choices today create a new path for our children to follow. In fact, because of the grace of God we are now able to pass on a blessing and not a curse. If our kids follow us in our mistakes, they also can follow us in our right choices. Their choices today create an influential path in our lives too. I hope to be a positive influence on my children, but sometimes their life choices end up leading me to better choices.
The story of Cain and Abel did not have a happy ending. Abel died. Sorrowful tears and regret were experienced for the first time. I am not sure Adam and Eve understood the curse of death before that point in time. Their choice to disobey God in the Garden of Eden led to the death of their child. I can’t imagine the regret and pain they experienced. The pain of the death of Abel was a reminder that our choices today always hurt others more than they hurt ourselves. In the case of Cain, his choice hurt everyone. He caused the first death and his life was full of regret.
As I raised my family I had to raise my values. I now define success by one thing: Do they love God with all their hearts? If that happens, everything else will fall in place.
Reflection Questions:
Pastor Dan states that he often finds his kids being a positive influence on him. What are some of the ways you were positively influenced by kids?
If there was someone who laid the foundation of faith for you, describe how they did so. If you are the first in your family, how are you trying to lay the foundation for family and friends?
In her song “Generations” Sara Groves says, “Remind me of this with every decision…generations will reap what I sow.” What are you doing to consciously pass on a blessing to your kids? (It could be attending church every week, reading the Bible together, etc.)
Our devotion series this week is adapted from the new book ‘Tale of Two Brothers’ by Dan & Ron Kellogg. Find out more and purchase the book here! You can get the book FREE on Monday, 09/26 and every Sunday from 09/25-10/16 on Amazon Kindle. Don’t miss out on this free download!
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