S4 E9 - A Messed-Up Spine & Doing My Homework

Your spine is supposed to have a 35 degree bend at the top and base, but mine is 15 and 12. While going over my x-rays with my chiropractor, I asked him what the plan was. He told me it depends a whole lot more on me than it does on him. If I'm not doing my work at home with PT and implementing the things he's equipped me to do, and I'm merely getting adjustments, we'll be figthing an uphill battle. 

Let me ask you this...how important is your children's spiritual development? I have many tell me very important, and it's for that reason they have found a local church with lots of opportunites for youth. But friends, your children can hear the best lessons each week - but if you are not doing the work you are called to do by God at home with your children, then you are going to be fighting an uphill battle. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths? Would you believe me? 

 Welcome back to season 4 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! My name is BJ Sipe, and I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. And I’m excited to share a few moments together with you learning some important lessons from the simplest things. Thanks for tuning in! 

Sometimes, the podcasts just write themselves. That is exactly what happened this past week during my visit to the chiropractor. I started seeing a new chiropractor not too long ago named Dr. Blake, and one of the first things that he had me do was x-rays of my spine, pelvis, and neck. I’ve always had issues with my back and neck, especially since I spend most of my time looking down at a book, Bible, or screen while sitting in a chair. This past week, Dr. Blake wanted to review my x-rays with me and go over a plan for my health going forward. As it turns out, I’m a little messed up – I know you already know this if you know me, but it’s more than just being a straight up goofball.  So, your spine is naturally supposed to have kind of an “S curve” if you’re looking at it from the side. The curvature of your spine at the base of the neck and in your lower back should be roughly around 35 degrees.  My spine? Not so much. The curvature of my spine at the base of my neck is only 15 degrees, and the curvature of my spine in my lower back is only 12 degrees. Yikes – or as he put it, definitely not mild – well into moderate for spinal alignment deviation. As a result, because my spine is much straighter than it should be, I have much less give in my body than I should. Essentially, if I were a car, my shocks are worn out and not performing optimally. So running will cause issues (which it always has), jumping will cause issues (which it always has) and things like this. As I sat there looking at my old raggedy bones, I asked him, “So, what exactly is the plan here doc? Where do we go from here?” His response is what I found so fascinating, and is the inspiration for this week’s podcast. He turned around and said, “Well, to be perfectly honest, it’s going to depend a whole lot more on you than it will on me. Let’s say you come in here 5 times a week and get the best chiropractic adjustment known to man every day you’re here. Even with that, if you’re not doing the physical therapy and exercises you need to be doing at home every day, we’re going to be fighting an uphill battle. My job is not simply to make adjustments when you come in once or twice a week, but to equip you with the knowledge, tools, and practices to be able to go do at home on your own. When you then implement all of that at home and follow through with the things you need to do, that is when you’re really going to start seeing the change, growth, and improvement that we’re hoping to see.” He finished his response and I just sat there quietly for a few seconds. Finally, I said, “Dr. Blake, I do believe you just gave me my podcast for this week.” 

There are actually quite a few applications that we can make from Dr. Blake’s statement, but for the purposes of this week I want to specifically focus on how this applies to the spiritual health of the children we are raising. I have the benefit of talking with all kinds of different people in the community I live, and frequently our discussions will turn spiritual in nature. When I discover that someone is a believer, one of my favorite questions to ask someone is, “So, tell me why you joined yourself to the church that you are a part of now?” Interestingly enough, about half of the time, the answer that I am given back has to do with the children’s ministry at that church. People will tell me how important their children’s faith is to them, and that’s why they settled on the church they are a part of now. I hear often about how great the programs are, or how many young people are there, etc. These things are important, no doubt, but let me ask you…is this the key to our children’s spiritual growth? 
 
 Let’s begin by looking at Ephesians 4:11-16. “And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.” You can join yourself to a local church that has all kinds of young people, exceptional teaching, and all kinds of opportunities for them to grow. They can hear the best sermons known to man each week, or be a part of the best bible classes once or twice a week at your local church. But friends, if that is all you’re doing for your children’s spiritual development – you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle. Look closely again at the text – it’s not just the job of evangelists, pastors and teachers to instruct you and your children – but it’s their job to equip each individual with the knowledge, tools, and practices for the work of service. In other words, when it comes to your own spiritual development and that of your children’s – their work alone is not going to cut it. You’ve got to do your part at home! 

It is not the shepherds over a church who have the first and foremost responsibility to your children’s growth. It is not any evangelists’, any teachers’ or youth ministers’ responsibility. It is yours as the parents. We read in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.” 

Parents, you have a responsibility to bring up your children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:4). If we are not actively teaching, disciplining, and involved daily in the spiritual growth of our children in our homes, then we will be fighting an uphill battle. I would even dare to venture as far as to say that we are failing our children as parents if we neglect to pray, study, read, and instruct them always and often in our homes. If you want your children to grow and to develop their own faith, if you want to see them flourish in their love for God and love for others, then it all starts with you. When you then implement all of that at home and follow through with the things you need to do, that is when you’re really going to start seeing the change, growth, and improvement that we’re hoping to see in the lives of our children. 

This has been the Set Your Mind Above Podcast, season 4 episode 9 – and I’m so thankful that you decided to tune in today! A new episode is dropped most Fridays, but I will be traveling to preach in two different states over the next two weeks, so I will do my best to get at least one podcast out if I am able to with my schedule.  Also, if you’re able to, go ahead and like and subscribe to the podcast, as well as share it with someone else – it would help me greatly in trying to reach others. And more than anything, always remember the following: know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.