God and Kids

I was at a conference recently and a woman sat talking about how this book (her book) could magically bring you closer to your kids. That by reading this book with your kids, you would become closer to them and enjoy time with them and all of your problems would go away. She hasn’t met my kids. I’m sure she meant well and her kids sound lovely. I wouldn’t mind trading for an afternoon and see if she still stands 100% behind that book. Here’s the thing. NO book, program, class, teacher, school, or camp is going to make your relationship with your kids perfect. Your kids will never be perfect, they are little sinful people, just like you. If you adopted them, chances are pretty high they have untold trauma heaped onto that base which, love them as you may, you weren’t ready for when you held them in your arms for the first time. And no amount of book or classes can fix when they are falling apart in your living room at midnight and screaming at you.

BUT these are GODs‘s children. And You are God’s children too. Both equally loved and cherished by our creator. And you have been given the awesome responsibility and privilege to be Jesus to them. To love them as Jesus did, no matter how hard. To show them Jesus and to teach them God’s ways. Teaching our kids about God’s ways and His word isn’t about the practice, because we aren’t perfect either and we won’t get it right all the time. It’s about the principle and making it our life’s work, the daily work, as in and out as brushing our teeth. It has to be the everyday flow. The work of God has to be our life and it has to be as integral to our existence as food. Yes You must read the word daily yourself and Yes stop everything when they come to you asking questions, seeking, wanting to read scripture in that little hands on Bible they got for graduating up from the kindergarten program at church. Don’t miss this!!! But also live it!! Live your faith in front of your family and be humble enough to apologize when you mess up. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Is this happening in our home?

Do your kids see God as a bedtime, mealtime summons? Is God a genie to call on when they are sad or hurt? Or do your kids know that Jesus is their BEST FRIEND?

This, my friend is our best and first calling - for all the kids in our life.