Day 297, Year 1

Be Determined to Overcome Generational Evil

“Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.” (Matthew 23:32 NASB)

The Pharisees, etc., naively looked back on the past but failed to see it as a reminder for their present time. They knew the sins of their ancestors but did not recognize that they had the same tendency to sin, nor did they pay attention to their own sins. As a result, they were cursed by Jesus, which is obviously a tragedy. Hence, we should reflect deeply on how the sins of our ancestors influenced us and avoid committing the same.

Today’s verse reminds me that many people tend to repeat the things that their parents or predecessors did, which can be both positive and negative. It is inevitable for some people to repeat the sins of their predecessors or become even more enmeshed in them, even if they wish to go away from the crooked or evil paths that their predecessors have taken. But if it is possible to turn away from evil and do good by mere human power, Jesus would not have needed to die on the cross for everyone. Thus, we should pay attention not only to the sins of our parents and ancestors, but also to everything that causes us to sin, including the aforementioned problems of avoidance, hypocrisy, saying but not doing, or saying one thing but doing another. We then need to reflect deeply on whether we share similar tendencies and problems, and rely on the Lord’s help to solve them one by one.

What can we do if we cannot think of any sins that our parents might have committed? If possible, you can observe whether there are any similarities or differences in your interests and preferences compared with those of your parents. You can also listen to the stories of their lives. In the process, we may find something similar or even recurring. Alternatively, we can pay attention to the natural and strong inclinations of choice in our lives that greatly influence us, and subsequently reflect on whether these tendencies are beneficial or harmful to our lives.

Believers should recognize the Lord Jesus as the root and source of our lives, rather than our parents or ancestors. One of the most essential aspects of believing in Jesus is to shift our identification from others to Jesus. Only then can our lives have a new beginning! However, you may have a new beginning and may sometimes feel ourselves returning to old patterns. So what should we do? This requires us to have the utmost determination to eradicate the evil influence of heredity and follow God’s command to “hate” those around us, which is explained in detail tomorrow.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you feel the strong influences from heredity? If you do not, you can try the methods in the text today and learn about the stories of your parents and ancestors.

2) How determined are you to rely on the Lord’s help to deal with the influence of generations one by one?