Soul-Winning
We are working through Ezra-Nehemiah for such a time as this (which is a line from Esther, which we’ll also get to). Also, now and not then is the day that the Lord has made for us. Can we learn about community building from these ancient stories? Yes.
One piece that is more implicit is the work of generations, of sons and daughters, who all worked alongside each other to rebuild the walls. How did the dads persuade their kids to set down their phones and pick up bricks?
Blessed the man that fears Jehovah and that wins the heart of his children to walk in the ways of the Lord.
We’re just under eleven months away from our Parenting Tune-up Sunday. Ha. The last time I gave a series of exhortations about parenting was about three years ago. But it’s been on my heart to talk about winning the hearts of our kids, not just so that they will join us at the gates (per Psalm 127:5 bibrefpsalms127 bibrefpsalms127v5) but because if we can’t win them, what are we doing?
There is one verse that holds a series of sermons, but it will be our focus in its context for a few Sundays of exhortations.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and whoever captures souls is wise.
(Proverbs 11:30 bibrefproverbs11 bibrefproverbs11v30 ESV)
It does not say FATHERS or SONS, true. But it also doesn’t say evangelism for Jesus, “soul-winning,” which is fine even if further extended in application. Plus, Proverbs 11:29 bibrefproverbs11 bibrefproverbs11v29 does talk about the “household,” and it sets us up for a family focus.
The object is the soul. It represents the whole person, what your son loves and loyalties, what your daughter more than anything. The action is captures, but the most frequent English translation is “wins.” Get the soul. Get all his/her heart. Win all the hearts of all your kids.
It is work (yes, more to come on that), and it is wise. It helps to have wisdom for it, but this verse says that it will be wisdom if you do it. Get in the game. By God’s grace, want to win their souls.