Isaiah 39:8 “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘For there will be peace and truth in my days.’”

I’M SORRY (NOT REALLY)

Have you ever caught your children red-handed doing something they shouldn’t have? Instantly, they say “I’m sorry,” but you know they didn’t really mean they were sorry. They were just sorry they got caught. That is the story here in this verse. Hezekiah had just been caught by Isaiah showing all the kingdom’s riches and defenses to the son of the king of Babylon. He had spilled the beans, so to speak.

Hezekiah agrees with Isaiah’s words, but is thinking, “At least it won’t happen while I’m alive.” Wow! Isaiah had just told him that his sons would be carried off into exile. Thousands would probably be killed, and Hezekiah shrugged it off. Sounds kind of cold-hearted to me. How about you?

TEACHING MOMENT

We have to teach our children what true remorse is. They need to learn that just saying “I’m sorry” doesn’t cut it. There has to be a change of mind and heart. Words don’t mean anything unless our actions change. How can you teach them that? How do you get your children to understand true repentance?

This is one of those skills that is better caught than taught. We have to show them through our own lives what it means. The next time you do something or say something in their presence you shouldn’t, make it right quickly. Tell them how sorry you are that you did that and they had to witness it. Then ask them to help you. “What!? Me, ask my child to hold me accountable!?” Yep! And I promise you they will.

We all need people in our lives to help us walk the path Christ has laid out before us. I have people right now in my life who will nail me to the wall if I get out of line. For that I am grateful. I need accountability. I need someone to point out my flesh when it raises its ugly head. It happened just the other day. And because of the Holy Spirit in me I was able to apologize and make it right. Mind you, it wasn’t me. It was the Spirit of God in me that drove me to that. I NEVER want to admit I’m wrong. Lol

Will you live true repentance before your child today? They need to see it lived out!