Skip to content Teach Them to Work Unto the Lord, Part 2 Dec 12 · 25 min ...more
Teach Them to Work Unto the Lord, Part 2
December 12, 2025 · 25 min
Chip wraps up this message by explaining how to teach children to work "unto the Lord." He challenges parents not to rob their children of the opportunities to grow, by constantly "doing" for them.
Series Leaving a Legacy that Lasts Forever December 12, 2025 · 25 min · Leaving a Legacy that Lasts Forever
Chip wraps up this message by explaining how to teach children to work "unto the Lord." He challenges parents not to rob their children of the opportunities to grow, by constantly "doing" for them. ...more Show the full description Show less Chip wraps up this message by explaining how to teach children to work "unto the Lord." He challenges parents not to rob their children of the opportunities to grow, by constantly "doing" for them.
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Chip Ingram is an American Christian pastor, author, and teacher. He is the founder, teaching pastor and CEO of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry.
618K followers
Work as a Sacred Calling 0:01 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Are you in 10:05 of those can do jobs? What I mean is, you can do it, but down deep you don't really like it. In fact, you might even despise it. Well, do you quit? You go back to school? Could it be that0:17 you have yet to discover the job that God has specifically made you to do? Stay with me, and let's find out.0:26 What if you actually looked forward to Monday mornings? What if work wasn't just the price you pay for weekend freedom, but a source of deep satisfaction and purpose? Most people spend 60 to0:37 80 percent of their waking hours counting down to Friday, trapped in jobs they don't enjoy. They've swallowed the lie that we are what we do. On today's edition of Living on the Edge, Chip0:49 Ingram unveils a liberating truth. You're not what you do. You're crafted in God's image with unique gifts, passions, and purpose. And when you discover and fulfill your divine calling,1:01 work transforms from drudgery into delight. A bit later, Chip will also describe 1 of the largest match opportunities in the history of living on the edge so that you can double the impact of your1:13 generous year end support. But right now, let's turn our attention to the subject at hand, leaving a legacy that lasts1:20 forever. Work is a calling, all work is sacred, and our work is to flow from our unique purpose. Now, if you're called to be a plumber, or a builder, or a software engineer, or a stay at home1:32 mom, you will tell others about the love of God by actually how you do your work and by what you say. The, New Testament command is1:44 Colossians 3 23, whatever you do Now let's see, what do you think that would cover? Would that is this just spiritual stuff quote? Whatever you do, work at it with all your1:56 heart as working for the Lord, not for men. This is revolutionary. Now let me give you, 4 kind of specific ways that are real practical in general to2:08 develop this and those that you love to pass it on. And then what I wanna do is I wanna take this very specifically in the second half of our time about how do you help those you love discover God's2:20 calling for their life. But before we do, let me give you 4 quick things that especially for those of you that might have kids that are still at home or, you know, you're in those earlier years. Number 1, give them a lot2:31 of jobs growing up. Your kids need to learn to cook and help out at 11 and 12. Everyone needs to be able to handle and do their own laundry, you know, by the early teen or preteen years. You want them to2:43 learn to work at an early age. Second, feed them responsibility, responsibility, responsibility. Give them jobs, feed them responsibility. Number 3, demand excellence2:55 and develop a work ethic. We we have just got into this, our little kid's psyche. We don't want them to feel bad. My kids will tell you and I maybe I was a little over the top. I had 1 son that had a struggle in3:07 school and, he had the gift of sloppiness. And so he would do his homework and he would I mean, I couldn't even read it. Said, well, that is the best I can do. I said, well, the best you can do, I guess, is not quite3:18 good enough because that's and I would give him, you know, the little dad sermon and I really love you, son. Now do it again. And that's how you learn to clean out the garage. That's that's not bad. Now try it again.3:30 You you know, the reason the vacuum cleaner you pick up the rug and you actually vacuum under the rug. Okay? Now I'm not talking about being perfectionistic over the top wacko, although my3:42 kids at times would say I had small moments of that. It it it was, if they don't learn to work well and work with excellence and work to an audience of 1,3:54 where do you think they're going to pick that up? 1 of the greatest gifts I think I saw my wife and I give our children is they know how to think and they know how to work. And, the final thing I would4:06 say is teach them, and I allude to this, to work for an audience of 1. And when they're young, I mean I just like I told them, I said, it's it's I understand no 1 can see behind here. It's really dirty and all the4:18 cobwebs and you know the spiders that are coming out of the corner and stuff, it's upsetting your mother. But the reason you you clean here is because we're not doing this for me or for your mom. You4:29 do your best because this is your work as an offering to God. Did you see it? This is this was really 1 of the core reformation principles. The4:41 priesthood of the believer was 1. This other was living life, before the face of God. All that we do, all that we are as an offering. And so, those are4:53 4 little things. Jobs, responsibility, excellence, audience of 1. Now let's let's get real practical. Help them discover God's calling for their lifeDiscovering Your Divine SHAPE 5:05 and and to do this you need to ask the following questions. And by the way, this isn't original. This what is your shape? Actually, there was a a pastor I think from Saddleback who wrote a book that has this word5:17 shape, but it was such a good acronym, I stole it. And so, you know, I don't want any credit for it, but I I think all truth is God's truth if you give credit. If people have done better stuff than you, you just grab it,5:29 modify it, give credit, and use it. So, this acronym of a SHAPE I think is very very helpful. And and here here's your role with your disciples, with the people that you love, with your kids, with5:41 your grandkids, with the people in your Bible study. You want to be a student of them. See, your role, you've got 365 days to live.5:54 If you're going to die 365 days from now, and at the end of that 365 days, let's say they live another 20 or 30 years, if let's just round it, 70 percent of their waking hours they're going to6:06 work. How valuable would it be if you could help them discover what they were made by God to do? And spend 70 percent of their waking hours doing what God made them to do with joy and6:17 fruit and impact, and they woke up and said, thank God it's Monday. Can you imagine the gift that would be? Not only to them, but to the kingdom. And and my suggestion is you'll have to become a student. Your role6:29 changes. We have unconsciously bought, how do I help the people I love be successful and how I help them be happy? That takes you down probably very negative6:41 paths. What I can tell you is if you help them to discover who God made them to be and fulfill their calling, this sort of side thing will happen. They'll probably be pretty successful and they'll probably be very6:53 happy, but that's a side benefit. That's not the goal. So, what is your shape? So number 1, ask them, what are their spiritual gifts? Help them discover their spiritual7:05 gifts. You know, you have the core passages in the New Testament, Romans 12, first Corinthians 12 and 14, Ephesians 4, and I went over those quickly. But, there's lots7:17 of excellent resources to help people discover their spiritual gifts. So we put together a thing called Your Divine Design. It's an audio series and a DVD series that walks people through a process of discovering7:29 their primary spiritual gift. What did God make them? What is their passion spiritually? What did he create them to do in terms of spiritual gifts? My son Ryan, I'll give you a number of real7:41 practical illustrations, was not a student. I mean he would have 6 weeks where he'd get like a's and b's, and he was a smart kid but very lazy. And he doesn't mind me saying this because it's very true. And so from sixth7:51 grade to twelfth grade, he didn't put 2 6 weeks together ever. And I mean, like his his joke is I was I was grounded, I think from seventh grade on, you know. It's not really true, but I mean he made me8:03 nuts. He just wouldn't do his but so I started, I said, okay, I'm responsible for his education. Here's a book by, C. S. Lewis. I want you to write me a book report. And he did. And then here's the major bible8:15 themes by, Chafer and, Wahlberg. And I mean it's like this, and this is during the summer. You're not gonna work at school? That's okay. I'm gonna be responsible. You're gonna learn to read, write, and think. And so you8:26 read a chapter and there's 20 questions at the end. You have to go into the Bible and answer all of them. Well, he did. Here's what I learned about my son. He led 4 of the 6 volleyball players in high school to Christ.8:37 He had a Bible study in our home. When he was supposed to be studying he went and learned how to play the guitar very well and when he got bored playing the guitar he went out and played the drums. He loved God, he had a8:47 passion for God's word, and he hated school. Now part of the discipline was I I just was on him, on him, on him, on him, on him. And then when he got done with school he said, Well you know I think I'd like to go to8:57 college. I said, Well I got a stewardship issue here because you know we're gonna, you know, I don't have a lot of money and so we're gonna have to both pay as much as we can, but you need to work for a year and save 89:08 to 10000 dollars because you've never put 2 6 weeks together. Why should I put 10000 of God's money down and you go off to college and blow 10000 dollars? So you need to work for a year and then you pay for your first9:19 year and if you're consistent and do it well, then I by then I think I'll be able to handle the next 3 years. I'll pay at least your tuition and you can work. And he looked at me like, Dad? Said, Yes,9:31 son. Now do you understand? Now some of you are looking at me like, You must be the harshest, meanest, baddest father I've ever heard. Now think about this. Again, am I not being consistent? It's not my money, it's God's9:41 money. He's blown the last Why would his behavior change because he goes off to college and has more freedom, can do more Well I will tell you what, he, he did a couple jobs that he thought, I don't think I want to do9:53 this rest of my life. He saved about 7 or 8000 dollars. I charged him rent in his bedroom from day 1. The goal is to what? Help him to become responsible. Now we had fun, we played hoop, I10:05 loved him, we had a great relationship. Well, but what I saw was his motivation and spiritual gifts were in this area of teaching and discipling. And I praise God for Joe Stoll, who was the president of Moody Bible. He10:17 and I were on the phone, I described my son. He said, I knew a guy just like him once. I said, I'll tell you what, I'll let him in Moody Bible. I'd rather have a guy who's not as studious, who loves God and has a10:29 proven track record. And I said, well who's this person you know that was like this? He said, it was me. He said, I hated high school. He said, I never started studying, so I started Greek and the Bible and all the rest.10:39 I said, Joe, you got a doctorate. He goes, man, Chip, it's not about brains. It's about calling and motivation.10:49 We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's message in just a moment. First, we're inviting you to multiply your year end donation through an exciting match that's active right now.10:58 I'm sure you're watching the trend, and it is so exciting. I mean, all across our high schools and college campuses, there is a spiritual awakening taking place.11:08 The time to respond is right now. Living on the edge is ready.11:12 There's never been a more important time to disciple the next generation. God is moving. We've created the resources. We have the game plan.11:21 30 years of God's faithfulness and lots more to accomplish.11:25 God has sustained living on the edge for 3 decades because people like you said yes. Now we're asking again, but with a twist. Living on the Edge meets young people in the digital spaces11:37 where they actually live.11:38 Because of the match, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar in the month of December. Will you give to the next generation?11:45 Our most fruitful years are ahead. And when you support this match, you're not funding yesterday's methods. You're investing in a discipleship strategy that actually reaches the smartphone generation right where11:57 generation right where they are.12:00 Double the impact of your gift at living on the edge dot org. From a series called leaving a legacy that lasts forever. Again, our bible teacher, Chip Ingram.12:11 Oh, my son ended up at Moody. He graduated from Moody. He clept out of courses. He got through. He loved Greek. He's a pastor and he's in in a ministry that's God's blessing. But part of12:23 it was, what's his spiritual gift? What that's gonna be a big part of what God when you come to Christ, God's gonna give a primary, I believe, motivation and a a ministry cluster for you to12:35 fulfill. In other words, if this is your good work year to walk in, doesn't it make sense he's gonna put something in you, a power supernaturally for you to do it? The second is what's their heart? Where's their passion?12:46 Ask them, what's your desire? What do you dream about? What would you love to see happen? I mean, that that question, if you couldn't fail, what would you like to do? I mistakenly asked 1 of my sons that once, and he12:58 says, I want to be a musician. I thought, oh my gosh. Tell me you're joking, son. No, dad. I think God's put this music in my heart, and I'm thinking, there's a zillion musicians, bands13:10 everywhere. You gotta get a real job. There's no security in this. I mean, you know, I'm preaching on the weekends of this, but now this is my kid who's not gonna get a real job. Right? And, and so he goes to a little13:21 community college. Dad, I'm bored with this. I wanna go full time in music, and I'm gone. And so I can still tell you where I I was here in the kitchen, the table's here, Jason was right there, and I'm giving him the the13:32 logical parental, well after you get done with school and you need to have enough security, and I'm giving him all this basically money. You gotta take care of yourself over here, and the fear of a dad thinking13:44 you'll never be happy because you're gonna end up you know a has been little musician that's traveled around and wasted your early years. So I'm, you know, in my flesh I'm worried about his happiness and money, and so13:53 he's in the kitchen and I'm giving him the opposite of what I'm preaching, which is not good as a pastor or a father, and he looked at me and goes, Hey dad, who's that guy who said, 'Dream great dreams and follow the14:05 passions of your heart, think outside the box and make a difference for Jesus'? I said, give me a minute. Let me let me see if I can remember who14:17 that guy was. And we had this exchange and I had to say, son, I'm sorry. I give your right. Give me a day to process it and then just tell me how can I help you? And it's a long story14:29 and he's writing music and doing what God made him to do. And anybody here in this room have that struggle with those you really care about? You know, sort of the practical versus what God might really want him to do? A14:40 is for aptitude. What what are you good at? The the fourth is personality. You need to look at how your kids are wired. And and you know whether that's the aptitude, whether it's the strength14:52 finder test that you can get at any bookstore and go online in 30 minutes and kind of see what people's strengths are or the personality test. There's lots of them, the MMPI or, sort of the easiest 1 is that DISC test,15:04 you know, high DI. But my my point is it doesn't take long to give, someone that you're discipling or 1 of your kids or grandkids a little test and begin to talk about, you know, your your15:16 high dominant and high I, you're a leader, or you like details. But but dad, I wanna be a ballerina. Well, you're I know, but sort of a nice way, you're awkward, honey, and you fall down a lot,15:28 you know? And and we'll get you 1 of those little tutus for Halloween and you can run around the neighborhood, you know, you're only 7. But but but my point is you wanna direct them toward what they're good at. What they15:39 have That's how God made them. And then here, you wanna encourage them to get honest wise counsel about who they are and where they fit and how to move because15:51 you may have an influence on them especially if they're children or grandchildren, but you you want them to get wise counsel from people you really trust and they trust, to give some outside objective view16:02 of where they at, where are they coming from, what are they good at, how do they come off. You you want to just create these these mirrors of objectivity to help this person understand what has16:14 God made you to do? What is your, Ephesians 2 10, good work to walk in? What are you called to do? When you do it, you come alive and God blesses it and you're fulfilled. By the way, when you are doing16:26 what God made you to do and when the people that you are helping are doing what God made them to do, they often miss it because it doesn't seem like work. You understand like we all16:38 have like glasses. If you had glasses and there was a blue tint so that everything you saw was blue, you would think everyone sees blue. I meet people who see a situation and organizing it Well, that can't be God's call.16:50 Call. I mean it's so easy to organize stuff. All you do is this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this goes over here, this, this goes over here. I mean, you know, it only took me 5 minutes and I'm thinking, how did16:59 you do that? Or I watched my son at 9 years old read the Bible and ask questions about it and teach his friends at 9. I'm thinking, and he thinks everyone does that. Or I've seen I've seen people who, you know, look at17:10 something technical and they click click click click click click here. This is over here with this thing here. These are cookies over here. I don't even know what cookies are. And you know, I mean, I you could give me17:20 that computer until Jesus comes. I, you know, send, you know. And so, so what you have to help people is that when they seem like17:32 it's not work because it comes so easy, now you have to develop the gift and you have to cultivate it, but often that's their sweet spot. That's what they're great17:44 at. I remember when I first started teaching, I thought, well, no 1 can do this for a living. I mean, you get to study, you get it in front of people, then you get to apply it, you get to see what hap I mean, is is this17:55 for real? Like this is a real job? Now I spent hours and hours and hours intensely working, but I'd say about 95 percent of it I think, are you kidding me? I mean, someone18:07 actually gets to do this? Because when when I open the text and when I study, it breaks apart for me. I I sense what God wants to say. This is what you need to I mean, it's hard in terms of intents and time and energy,18:19 but it's not hard as in, oh brother, I got 1 more sermon to write, or oh boy, I gotta get together in a group and we gotta dream what we're gonna do with this church, and we got all these problems, and boy what a bummer.18:30 I love it. I just love it. I just I get I wake up in the middle of night with ideas. I I have to kinda hold myself down, you know, like quit trying to do too much. Encourage them after the honest18:42 wise feedback. Help them be willing to move out of their comfort zone to fulfill their divine purpose. You need to understand that the people that you love the most, the people that you wanna help,18:54 their the most common command in all of scripture is a very short sentence, Do not be afraid.19:06 That's the most repeated command in all of the Bible. Joshua, don't be afraid. Moses, don't be afraid. Disciples, don't be afraid. Why? As 1 ancient Greek philosopher19:18 said, safety is the greatest hindrance to all human endeavor. All of us tend to want to be safe and secure. I had to literally say to 119:30 of my sons, son, you're in this community college and I mean, I you can't go back there next year. We'll we'll look at different schools, but you have this dream. But he just didn't want to get away from home.19:42 This is the same son, I put roller skates on him, and I said, you can't come back inside till noon. I don't want to learn. I know it's hard. I know it's hard. And I pushed him and did all this stuff. When he got his19:53 first bike, It was like, I don't want to learn to ride. I mean, he just could never get him out of his comfort zone. But man, every step of the way has been pushing him where he didn't think he could go20:05 lovingly, gently. But you you you have you have to help people understand. A lot of people, that's why you're where you're at. They it's called coaching. Most of us can never fulfill20:17 what God made us to fulfill unless there's someone who does 2 things. There's an arm around us that says, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, and there's a foot that I love you so much20:29 that I'm not going to let you stay in this little spiritual, emotional, geographical cul de sac of safety. Okay? And so the life message is,20:41 you were created to work. What what what what when that when that when that change a person's I was made for this. The lie is that you are what you do. You've been fed it on. You are20:53 a housewife. You are a doctor. You are a scientist. You are a builder. You are a bricklader. You are a plumber. That's a lie from the pit of hell. The truth is, do what you are.21:06 You are not what you do. Do what you are. You are created in the image of God with the spiritual gift, with the personality, with the passion, with aptitude, with skills, with experience to21:18 do this designed, Ephesians 2 10, good work. Discover it, and then help others discover theirs. And when you do, work becomes a gift from God, instead of drudgery to get out21:30 of, so you can go play on the weekends.21:36 Chip Ingram is talking about leaving a legacy that lasts forever,21:40 how21:41 to give your kids and grandkids what money can't buy. Please stay with us. We're going to hear an important closing comment from Chip in just a moment. First, I'm excited to share that Living on the Edge has activated21:53 1 of the largest match opportunities in our 30 year history. So now's the time to leverage your December year end giving. Whatever amount God places on your heart to give will be doubled in size,22:05 yielding twice the impact. And the deadline for receiving your gift is December 30 first. And we'll use these gifts to come alongside parents, grandparents, and their kids with tools,22:17 resources, and encouragement so that people of all ages discover how to apply the Bible to every aspect of their lives. At Living on the Edge, we know that many families are struggling to answer questions22:29 about the Bible and the Christian faith. For that reason, we're equipped to respond with credible answers using methods that are preferred by a new generation of listeners.22:38 Chip? You know, we've all heard about kids who take a gap year from church after high school. But for many millennials and Gen z, that gap year has turned into a decade. They're not angry at22:50 God. They're just not convinced Christianity has anything relevant to say to their lives. Living on the edge is reaching this generation where they are, on their phones, in their earbuds,23:02 during their commute or workout, with teaching that's both deeply biblical and intensely practical. When you give to this match, you're creating on ramps for young adults to come back23:14 to the faith or to discover it for the first time in a way that actually makes sense. Right now, through this match, your gift is literally multiplied times 2. That means23:26 double the reach, double the impact, and double the lives changed. But this window won't stay open forever. The deadline is December 30 first.23:37 Will you respond today?23:39 You can respond to Chip right now by going to living on the edge dot org, or you can call right now, triple 8, 3 3 3 6 0 0 3. Together, let's make an impact by23:51 giving generously to the match that's active today and through December 30 first. To send your donation in the mail, write to Living on the Edge, PO Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia24:03 3 0 0 2 4. Chip will conclude our teaching series this coming Tuesday. It's called leaving a legacy that lasts forever. Did you know that we have a study guide for moms and dads? It's 124:15 of the most highly requested resources in our collection called effective parenting in a defective world. To learn more or to contribute to the match, call triple 8 3 3 3 6 024:27 0 3, or visit living on the edge dot org. I'm Dave Drewey, inviting you to listen Monday when Chip Ingram describes how to help your children and grandchildren manage their wealth24:39 wisely right here on Living on the Edge.In this video 0:00 Work as a Sacred Calling5:01 Discovering Your Divine SHAPE
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