Genesis 11: Parents

Harmony in Humility

Genesis 11:4 (New Living Translation)
"Then they said, 'Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.'"

I remember watching in silence as my four-year-old built a tall tower of Jenga blocks. His eyes gleamed with the dream of achieving something extraordinary. A tower taller than him! But then, as I could predict, the tower wobbled and came crashing down. Disappointed, he sat on the floor and I heard him pray, “Jesus please help me build this tower.” My heart was touched. I was impressed with his ambition to build a tall tower, but I was infinitely more blessed to see him depend on God to help him. 

Genesis 11:4 shares the story of the Tower of Babel, an ambitious project taken up by people who sought fame and wanted to avoid being scattered. This craving for self-glorification led to their downfall. Their language was confused, and they were dispersed throughout the earth. Failure was the best thing for them.

Our challenge as parents is to guide our children in channeling their ambitions. Teach them that while it's wonderful to have dreams and work hard to achieve them, it's equally important to keep humility at the heart of their endeavors. Show them through your own example how to work for God's glory rather than our own fame. The way we do this is by teaching them to invite God into the process of achieving whatever their heart desires.

So, next time your child embarks on a project, remind them of the Tower of Babel story. Encourage them to put God first, and to remember that every accomplishment is an opportunity to give thanks and honor to our Creator.