The Sh’ma: Road Talk

“… And when you walk along the road,” (verse 7c).

God’s people had probably had their fill of traveling through the Sinai wilderness when Moses encouraged them to make better use of the time they spent together on the road.

Presumably, the scenario Moses had in mind was two people enjoying a heart-to-heart talk as they strolled down the path. Or maybe he was waxing poetic, and the stroll Moses was thinking of was a metaphor for our human journey through life.

In the long run, it probably doesn’t matter. Both short walks and long walks can be inspiring and productive.

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But road talks don’t just happen.

Godly parenting takes time and energy. Sometimes it requires planning. Sometimes we have to put our lives on hold long enough to understand why our child is hurting. We observe. We take the time to know the environments in which they play, learn, and hang out. We get to know their friends, their language, their dreams, and their moods. We get to know the roads they are on.

And then we can become engaged in the daily choices they make. We help them learn how to approach big decisions as they think about their future.

Some roads can lead children away from God’s love. We have to be ready to say no when no is the only appropriate response. Some of the paths they choose will test their faith, or our patience. The biblical road strengthens their faith, offers them peace, lifts their hope, addresses their guilt. It encourages them to persevere, or it helps them bear the burdens of life. We aren’t doing our job if we avoid the road talks so necessary when life starts to go sideways.

Road Talk at its Best

One of the most beautiful word pictures in Scripture describes two disciples walking from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus on Easter Sunday (Luke 24:13-35). The snapshot includes a third figure—Jesus—who has joined the other two as they walk. But Jesus has concealed his true identity. The two travelers think he is a stranger. Saint Luke tells us the three men talked about the events of Christ’s trial and execution.

Jesus pretended he didn’t know about any of these recent events. Then the stranger seems to have led the other two through part of the conversation, referencing the prophets of the Old Testament. They were apparently impressed with the things Jesus shared with them regarding the prophecies about the coming Messiah.  

Later, over supper, Jesus finally revealed himself to the two men. Luke says that when Jesus left the other two travelers, they understood the stranger they had been eating with was their risen Lord. Luke adds, their hearts burned within them (Luke 24:32).

This was road talk at its best.

Group Discussion:

• How can you get to know your children’s environments, friends, and dreams more?
• What or when might be good opportunities to engage road talks, and how can you keep those lines of communication open?
• What Scripture passages might you, as a parent, turn to for guidance and encouragement as you engage in this process?
• What Scripture passages might best convey God’s Law and his Gospel to your children? Which passages do you want them to keep and know to guide them on life’s paths?

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me (Moses) to teach you (the Children of Israel) to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. ³ Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. ⁷ Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

DEUTERONOMY 6: 1-9