Proverbs 20:7

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about what the righteous gives their children: 

Proverbs 20:7 (ESV)

The righteous who walks in his integrity—

blessed are his children after him!

If you could buy a ticket that would provide all your kids would need for the rest of your life, how much would you pay for it?  Some think a lotto ticket would be the thing that would provide the security they need for the present and the future. Solomon tells us, however, in the above proverb, that the best thing we can do as adults is to live a righteous life. By doing so, it will bring blessings to our children. What if each time we do something that saddens God, He removes a blessing from our children? Would you keep doing it? Imagine walking in the rain with an umbrella. But, you hold the umbrella over just you, not your kids. Living a righteous life, through the provision "in Christ", is like having an umbrella over our heads and our kids. How are you holding yours? Are you covering just you?   Paul repeats a similar theme in 1 Corinthians 7.  Note what he says:

1 Corinthians 7:14

For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

Paul is NOT saying that the righteousness of one person "covers" the righteous needs for another.   What he is saying is that as we walk in a life IN Christ, we put our children at a better place to live for Christ as well.  We can be that "umbrella" in their life.  They still have to live their own life for Christ, but when we walk in righteousness and integrity, we live for God and for our children.