THE MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION!
Ever wonder what God has called you too? Or asked yourself what am I doing for the kingdom of God? Though not every Christian is called into the ministry we are all called to be ambassadors for Christ, to be intercessors in prayer, to share the good news of the gospel of Christ; but aside from that, every mother and father has been given a very valuable gift. Your child/children and how you view them and how you raise them can either help or hinder them
Too often we all can say things that harm our child's self image of themselves. Sometimes we say things in the heat of anger or what we think is humor, but they receive it totally different. When I look back over the years I hear myself thinking "I wasn't a very good mother". Oh I took them to church, I sat up boundaries they could not cross, I guarded what they were allowed to watch and listen to, and I was swift to give correction, they heard me pray and saw me read the bible, but in the crucial years of my youngest what they saw and heard in me was a woman running from God. But they all witnessed me fall greatly, always on the verge of disaster, angry, bitter, self absorbed. Then they witnessed me in repentance, coming back to Jesus, they have seen me struggle, seen my tears, at times they witnessed my self pity, they have seen me walk in faith, seen me walk in victory, and at times appear defeated, yet the enemy will whisper in my ear "You weren't a good mother"! "Because they saw and lived with you in your valley moments"! But they also saw and lived with me in my mountain top moments. Yet, those are words whispered to make us believe we failed, because our children have experienced hard lives, as they have become adults, that we could not change nor are we accountable for. You see no matter how much we desire to protect our children from life choices and experiences we cannot stop them from making wrong choices. But, what are we accountable for? What does God say about raising our children:
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Proverbs 23:13 Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
(This does not mean we abuse our children)
Proverbs 19:18 Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it
Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
I remember when my mother was 38 years old and I was 9 years old, her husband and my daddy died. In my heartbreak and fear I came home from the grave and announced "I will not go to church again". My mother instead of saying "no Linda we will continue to go to church". Actually said "Okay" and we didn't, mother was 38 and she did not return to church until at 80 she moved in with me and I took her. My question is "How many mother's and father's have given into their children and said, "Okay, you can stay home, and have either stayed home with them, or just left them at home?" If people were honest it would be a lot. Honestly, part of the reason the generation of today is as it is, is because parents didn't set house rules that our children are to follow, instead we have given in. Part of the training is to teach them God's word as a teacher in the home and by our example. Do they see Jesus as our priority, or do they see us easily put other things first. Do they see us excited to go to church or have the attitude of we must go, but would rather do something else. Many parents believe that it is the church's responsibility to both teach and entertain their children. While there is nothing wrong with Sunday School classes, children and youth ministries, it does not relieve the parents of their God given responsibility, to teach, train,nurture and protect their children .
2 Timothy 1:5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
O did I see someone else who has a responsibility also?
At some point in time Dr Spock began to teach that spanking a child was wrong. Then the government stepped in to stop parents from correcting their children through spanking. It is said that spanking would lead to violent behavior. Hmmmmmm me I think these violent video games and gruesome shows that children are exposed to lead to more violent behavior than a good paddling on the behind. Though we can ground our children if that works better for them, we must set realistic grounding, because it is worse to set too long and not be able to keep it ( my husband wanted to set too long). Also never spank a child in the heat of our anger (did that too often). When we allow our children to be free of any consequences of wrong behavior, unless God intervenes with His saving grace, we will have children grow up with no respect for authority, no respect for their elders and believe they are entitled to whatever pleases them. And here is what the Bible says about those children, as they grow into adulthood:
2 Timothy 3:1-4 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good.
Looks bleak, but we are not without hope. I believe in household salvation, I believe that those who have ran from God into the land of the enemy will return to their own boarders, as promised in Jeremiah 31:16-17 and in Isaiah 43:6 I will say to the north, "Give them up!" And to the south, "Do not keep them back!" Bring My son's from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth---
I recall that Noah obeyed God built an ark to save his family from the wrath of God. We know that today it is in Jesus that we are saved from the wrath of God. Have we allowed our children to see that who we say we believe in we actually follow. Do they see us pray, do we pray with them, do they see us read the bible, do we read it with them, do they see us overcome in our time to trouble, do they see our faith? Do we make sure they know exactly who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
So in summary while our children are young, train, set boundaries, teach by our words and example, correction when needed. But remember in all we do or have failed to do, as they grow into adulthood they become responsible to accept the gift of life through salvation or reject the gift of life. But never let it be said that we neglected the opportunity while they were still in our homes.
Was I good mother? A good Mamaw? That you would have to ask my children and grandchildren, they have seen me at my best and at my worst. My only hope is they saw my love for Jesus and His love for me. That they know I love them and I pray they walk with Jesus all the days of their life. What a great legacy to leave behind to know, our children, our children's children, and our children's children's children, received everlasting life, loved Jesus and is loved by Him. That makes us older moms and dads heart full.
I encourage you don't allow the enemy to whisper his lies into your ears. But walk with Jesus, and be the parents and grandparents you have been called to be.
I have learned a lot from my mistakes, but when we need to, in humility, ask our children to forgive us when we know we have done wrong.
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