Parenting by Design Daily DevotionalSample

IDENTITY THEFT If you trusted Christ as your Savior, you have a new identity. You are like an adopted child. You have a new name, new family and new traditions. Your old customs have been replaced by new ones that set you apart from those of other families. Paul describes this as being "in Christ". Satan would love to steal your identity. He seeks to lure you back to the old identity by tempting you with his family's customs and traditions -- anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language (Col 3:8), but you can resist his identity theft by practicing the customs of your new family -- compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col 3:12). Your children were born into your new family's traditions, and they should be raised that way. Your practice of the new customs will expel the old ones from your life. Your new identity based on your adoption into the family of God, is a powerful incentive for them to want to be adopted as well. Protect yourself and your children from spiritual identity theft.