We had set out at the beginning of the year to learn a verse a week. I have been extremely convicted that just having heard God's Word is not enough for me or my children. We need to memorize it and practice it.
More than a fair share of times I have talked about and told my kids to love others before themselves. We have had the verse from Romans on our dry erase board for longer than a couple months. We have practiced saying it and talked about what it means and how we can live it out loud for others to see. I refused to move on until fruit had come from this verse...
Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."
My initial purpose in choosing this verse was so that my children would love each other and think of each other before themselves. I had grown very weary of listening to them bicker over who had the remote first, or who had been playing the iPad too long, or who was going to sit in which seat in the car, or who could put their foot in the extra bar stool...really?? Really?? It was these little things that had been driving me crazy and I wanted my children to know God had a Word for them. Little, did I know God also had a Word for me. I guess I should know by now that when I want God to teach someone else He always teaches me first. Uggghh!!
So in my desire for my children to love each other more than themselves I have learned something about me. I am a tinge OCD in some matters, okay maybe more than a tinge but I am working on it. LOL! I like to have my way a lot and I believe my children have definitely picked up on this rotten habit of mine and turned it into their own. Sometimes I may have no explanation for my rhyme or reason other than I just want my way. For example, my kids have several chores. Among them they are expected to clean their bathrooms and their rooms. I'm talking toilet, tubs, floors, dust, vacuum...the works. I can't tell you how many times I have ranted and raved over how they were not doing their job to my satisfaction or how I would have done it differently and more efficiently. I get angry and lots of times have gone behind them and done the job over. This has not been beneficial in teaching my kids anything except a poor sense of value. It has also taught them to only be satisfied with their own way, just as I was only satisfied with my way. It hasn't taught them to love and be devoted to anyone but themselves just as I have done. Oh, Lord, why must you keep showing me where I mess up?
On a sweeter note, I recieved confirmation that my desire to teach them Truth has not turned void.
Yesterday I picked up the boys from school and began to talk to them about their day. They told me of the fun stuff they had going on and the big kickball game that is so poplular this time of year at school. My mind was prompted to remind them to pray for one of their friends whose baby sister had been very sick. I wasn't even sure if they were really listening. I never miss an opportunity to spew Jesus on my kids. I talk non stop about Him. So it wasn't this serious conversation where I was sitting them down to give them instruction of the word and prayer. It was just one of those moments I remembered of someone else besides myself and was intent on putting precious baby, Scarlett, in our prayers. We quickly moved on to another subject and was gearing up for baseball practice and gymnastics with Madi. I dropped the boys off at my husbands office for him to take to ball practice and Madi and I went on to run errands and to the gym.
Later that night I received a FB notification that someone had posted on my wall. I read that post and tears came to my eyes. My son, Mackenson, had gone to practice and purposefully went to Scarlett's mom to tell her he hoped she was better soon.
HE WAS LISTENING! He put in to practice all on his own something we have been talking about for months. Loving someone else, thinking of them before thinking of self! Praise the Lord that even tho I have messed up many times my son has seen and heard the Truth and is living out loud what he has learned.
My encouragement today is for all you moms and dads that are diligently trying to teach your children of His Ways. Even if you have OCD tendencies like myslef about matters and mess up a lot there is still hope. God can use our mess ups and make the best fixer upper in the world. Yes, those little ones are listening! Someone else is watching! And our example is worth weight in gold! But we must not let our failures determine our reactions for the next go around. We must make those failures our determination to walk a better path. Will we let our OCD tendencies and selfish ways strike out our love for others? Or will we think first of someone else's needs and wants before our own?
Praying today that we love as He loves!
No comments:
Post a Comment