Overview:
Exodus 20:4–6; 34:5–9
All of us have heard the following statement, which is usually said in disgust, “You’re just like your father/mother!” In other settings, we’ve repeated the saying, “The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Are those merely throwaway words, or could there be some truth in them? We acknowledge that, being human, we are sinful people—sinners by nature, through choice, and from birth.
We were born with the same sinful nature that characterized our parents (Psalm 51:5) and that we “go astray from birth (58:3).” The prophet Isaiah states, “you have been called a rebel from birth (Isaiah 48:8).” But is our sinful condition only ours, or do we, in fact, inherit some of the sinful traits that our parents or our grandparents (perhaps, even our great-grandparents) had? Can we trace certain acts of iniquity back to our ancestors?
The answer is yes. While it may be disturbing, we’re going to discover from the Scriptures that there are generational links to acts of iniquity. These lingering “bents” do not stop with the deaths of our ancestors. Wise are the parents who understand this, observe the reality of it in their own children, and then appropriately deal with it to bring an end to longstanding familial iniquity.
Message Summary:
In this insightful message from the Biblical Parenting series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores the profound truth behind the clichés "You’re just like your father!" and "The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree." While we acknowledge that we are all born with a sin nature, Chuck delves into the specific "bents"—both good and evil—that are passed down through generations.
"Straightening Granddad’s Bent" uses the life of Abraham and his son Isaac to illustrate how a specific sin pattern, if left unaddressed, will inevitably repeat itself in the next generation. Chuck provides a biblical strategy for identifying these crooked inclinations in our family history and offers hope for how grace can "straighten" a legacy that has been bent toward deception, fear, or legalism. This message is a call to intentionality, urging parents to stop the cycle of ancestral sin before it takes root in their children.Message Key Facts:
- The Reality of Inherited Bents: Every child is born with a natural inclination or "bent." While some bents are strengths to be cultivated, others are crooked paths that require correction.
- The Power of Parental Example: Children are more likely to do what they see than what they are told. Abraham’s pattern of lying to protect himself became the blueprint for his son Isaac’s own failure decades later.
- The Contagion of Fear: Generational bents are often rooted in fear rather than faith. When we fail to trust God in our circumstances, we teach our children to use manipulation as a survival tactic.
- The Grace of Correction: Identifying a "bent" is not about assigning blame to our ancestors, but about taking responsibility for our own trajectory. Grace provides the power to break the mold.
Message References:
Introduction: The Roots of Behavior
- Context: Chuck discusses the popular interest in genealogy and why it matters spiritually.
- Theme: Recognizing that our "acorn" didn't fall far from our family "tree."
- Scripture: Proverbs 22:6
- Fact: "Train up a child in the way he should go" literally means to train them according to their unique, God-given "bent."
- Insight: If we don't understand a child's natural inclinations, we cannot effectively guide them toward righteousness.
- Scripture: Genesis 12:10–20; 20:1–18
- Fact: On two separate occasions, Abraham lied about his wife Sarah, calling her his sister out of fear for his own life.
- Theme: Even "heroes of the faith" carry ancestral baggage that can compromise their testimony and their family's safety.
- Scripture: Genesis 26:1–11
- Fact: Isaac, facing a similar famine and fear, told the exact same lie about his wife Rebekah that his father had told about Sarah.
- Insight: Sin patterns are often "caught" by the next generation, even when they aren't explicitly taught.
- Final Thought: You are not a victim of your grandfather's bent. Through Christ, the crooked can be made straight.
- Call to Action: Identify one negative "bent" in your family history and confess it. Ask God for the wisdom and courage to model a new, straight path for your children today.
