How We Are Put Together

How We Are Put Together

All of us are influenced by what we believe in. Our beliefs shape our lives, give us hope, and motivate our actions. Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't you're right."[1] If we believe things about ourselves that are not true, then we live a lie. However, if we believe things that are only partially true, then we live a partial lie. If we believe truth, then we live a life that reflects truth, or stated another way, we live in reality. When teenagers understand how God has made them, they will enter adulthood prepared to live realistically, and not some false identity developed by observing and reacting to the world around them, but their own true identity.

Sidney Madwed said, “If you want to be truly successful invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.”

God made each of us with a specific design in mind. He created us as a complex mixture of spirit, soul, and body as outlined in 1st Thessalonians 5:23: “…may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete…”

The Bible says in Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you . . .” God had an understanding of who your child would be even before He created him. This is an exciting and revealing truth. It means that each child was made to be who they are on purpose, i.e., they were made with God’s purpose in mind, and He has designed every human being to perform at an exceptional level when operating within His “specifications.” As stated earlier, a child’s performance will depend largely upon whether they are raised on high or low-octane fuel.

Each one of us is designed to perform utilizing the “factory options” God gave us. Bodies that give us distinct physical characteristics, a soul that brings passion and emotion to our lives, and a spirit of intellect and reason forever separating us from the animal kingdom. We truly are special creations built to perform as designed by God.

Understanding how God has designed us is not a trivial task, but is vital in understanding how we should train up our child “in the way he should go.” The sad consequences of leaving our children’s development to society or chance are born out in the frightening statistics readily available.

Taken from chapter two of my book "Raising High-Octane-Kids" available on my website 2nd quarter 2006

[1] Quote taken from www.lifefocuscenter.com