Day 2: Breaking Bad Broncos

Scripture: Joshua 24:15 - "Whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River..."

Cowboy Wisdom: Every ranch has its share of bad broncos - horses that learned bad habits and keep bucking the same way, over and over. Sometimes a young colt will watch an older horse and pick up those same bad habits. Before you know it, you've got a whole corral full of ornery horses doing the same destructive things.

Fathers can be like those broncos. We pick up the bad habits of our dads, and instead of breaking the cycle, we pass them down to our young colts. Maybe your daddy was absent, angry, or addicted to something. Maybe he never showed love or never went to church. That don't mean you have to ride the same destructive trail.

Joshua gave the Israelites a choice - they could be "chips off the old blocks" or they could choose a better way. A wise cowboy knows that just because a horse was broke wrong don't mean it can't be broke right. And just because your daddy rode a certain trail don't mean you have to follow his hoofprints.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What negative patterns from your father or grandfather are you in danger of repeating?
2. How can you "break" the cycle of destructive habits in your family line?
3. What positive legacy do you want to start with your children?

​Prayer Focus: Father, help me break free from the sins and mistakes of previous generations. Where my father failed, help me succeed. Where my family line has been broken, help me be the one who starts healing. Give me the strength to be the father my children need, not just a copy of what I experienced. Help me start a new legacy of faith and love. Amen.