The below message was written by a parent of children attending Covenant Christian School. They discuss the topic of their example as a Christian to their own children.
Matthew 19:13-14 (NASB)
“Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
“I am so thankful for the opportunity to bring my kids to a school that not only teaches them but prays over them. I want each of my kids to have his own deep, vibrant relationship with Jesus. My faith and good intentions will not save them. Each one must choose Him for himself.
Sacrificing financially and schedule-wise to send them to Covenant is a great step towards this end. But as I read the above Scripture, I am challenged by the word "hinder." To hinder means to cause delay, interruption or difficulty in; hamper; impede, or to be an obstacle. Am I doing anything unintentionally to hinder my kids from coming to Jesus ... daily? How I discipline at home, how I model my personal faith, how I relate to my spouse or their teachers or my church, how I express my devotion to others, how I show love to Jesus Himself ... all these and more either encourage my children towards their own relationship with Jesus or hinder them from coming to Him.
To know Jesus is to know grace. No, I am not going to parent perfectly. Neither is my child going to behave perfectly. However, we can each grow in our relationships with Him as I am committed to my child's journey towards and with Jesus, and not just the destination.”
As a fellow human being, I can definitely say that it is impossible to behave perfectly. But I believe that goes for all of us, no matter what position in life we have right now. Whether you had a bad day, or the other person did, when we react in anger and nothing significant has happened, that’s not a good example. When we shove someone off to be with other people- that’s not a good example. When we fight with our parents or you fight with your spouse or child in public, how is that living a godly example? It happens, but when it does, what do you do about it? Do you ask for forgiveness and try to make amends, or do you try to justify your actions and pin the blame on someone else?
When my own mother and I fight- and I say when, not if- she’s the first to apologize if she truly was wrong or at fault. This was not always the case, and becoming aware of it certainly makes me proud to see that attitude change in my mother. I love that she has the humility to offer herself to the consequences of her actions; I want to be like that. I strive for humility because I’ve seen what people are like without it. Besides other factors, if God hadn’t laid that idea on my mother’s heart, we would not be as close as we currently are. As her child, I see the self- satisfaction in knowing she chose to take responsibility for her sins even though it may have hurt.
Few people in my life have consistently shown the courage to express their belief in God’s persistent grace. And even though my mother is not perfect (and neither am I), she strives to live in such way that exemplifies her faith in God.
I challenge you to remind yourself daily of God’s goodness and grace. He forgives and governs perfectly. Think of how others will be affected by what you say and do before you make a choice you will have to live with. God’s always here to talk. Tell Him how you messed up today, and how you want to try harder tomorrow. Ask Him to open your eyes to His will for you each and every brand new day, and He will.
"And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly." Luke 18:6-8
