To See Ahead You Must Look Back

“Look ahead and don’t turn back” is the mantra that many associate with visionary thinking. The problem with such an equation is that it is dead wrong. Yes, people of vision must cast a wishful gaze forward but before they can do that they must fully engage themselves in a look back.

Parenting requires great vision. The faithful parent simply must know how to see into the future and wrap their arms and dreams around things yet unseen. Psalm 78 captures the essence of the forward look with these words: “…tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done” (Vs. 4). Parenting the present generation requires thinking about the future generation. Thinking about the future generation while parenting the present generation requires thinking about the past generation. We are to teach our children that, “which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us” (3).

How can we apply these words?

1. We must put our minds around ancient biblical history.
What we are looking for is the greatness of God demonstrated in His superintendance of His people historically. This includes His provision, guidance and chastisement. Psalm 78 is filled with such instruction.

2. We must seek to impress the character of God upon the hearts of our children.
Children and adults learn to trust God for the future when they are able to see his faithfulness historically.

3. We must train our children with an eye towards our great grandchildren. That the generation to come might know…That they may arise and tell them to their children” (6).

4. Visionary training keeps great objectives in view.

What are we really aiming at when we teach our children who God is and what He has done? Our objective is three-fold.

A. We are aiming at the goal of faith in God (7).
B. We are aiming at the goal of remembrance of God (7).
C. We are aiming at the goal of obedience to God (7).
Visionary goal setting for our children requires that we and they know that God can be trusted. We know that by looking back. The very call to remember God requires that we look back. The call to obey God requires that we look back to the commands of God.
To have a visionary family we must see ahead. To see ahead we must learn to look back. Moving forward by looking back is at the heart of the message of Psalm 78.