There are two very important questions that we need to take the time to ask ourselves.
Do you see your children in the same way that God does?
Do you know how God sees your children?
These are questions in which we need to look deeper than just the surface answers that we all know the answers to. We need to take a look at our lives and be real about our relationships with our children to assess how we truly see them.
Psalm 127:3-5 says,
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
From this passage, we see that God sees children….
as a heritage…
as a reward….
like arrows in the hand of a warrier….
and a blessing.
Too many times, we don’t see children, even our own children in this way. Instead of viewing them as a heritage, a reward, and a blessing, we see them as a nuisance, an interruption, and a burden.
This is blatantly done in the secular world in the forms of abortion, neglect, and emotional and physical abuse.
But viewing our children in a way contrary to God’s Word is not limited to the secular world.
Even in our Christian groups and in our churches, we frown upon large families and separate our children from our worship services. But that’s two separate posts that I’ll have to save for another day.
Right now, I just want to talk specifically about YOU and how YOU view your own children.
In your home, from day to day and moment to moment, how do you see your children?
How do you see them when they wake you in the middle of the night?
How do you see them when you have to wipe their runny nose constantly throughout the day?
How do you see them when they embarrass you in front of your friends?
How do you see them when “your time” is interrupted?
How do you see them when your bank account is low and they “need” something?
How do you see them when you have to discipline?
How to you see them when they’re fighting with their siblings?
Do you see them as the blessings that God sees them as? Or do you see them as an interruption to your time and wallet?
God loves our children. He calls them blessings. If we see them in this same way, it will come out in our attitudes, in our interactions with them, and in our actions. So that even when we discipline them, they will know above all else that they are loved and cherished.
Megan (FriedOkra) says
YES YES YES! Thank you! I needed this today.
Megan (FriedOkra)’s last blog post..And Bonus #26 – I’m content to accept there are just some things I’ll never understand in life. Like why anyone’d write a song about muskrat love.
ruth a. stiles says
I love this post and I see exactly what you mean. I wanted to add that although we seperate our chilren from our services -for the most part – they are still being feed the word of God in a way they can understand.
There are times as a parent, an adult, that I need time to be fed without my kids interrupting me. They sit with me before junior church so they experience church and are made to sit quietly but then they go to junior church and I get to focus on God and the message. At night church they stay with us and Wednesday night prayer meeting they stay. I think it is important for our kids to see us worship and be humbled, to see us praise God and petition His help. It is important to for our children to see us cry tears of joy and sorrow, to see us lean on God, ask Him for his help and praise Him for His answers.
There is a time and place for child’s worship and as a sunday school teacher I see the joy in teaching kids.
But we can’t let the church ” teach our kids everything.” I have been challenged lately to show my kids my relationship with God not just an impersonal conversation with Him.
I look forward to what else you have to say on this…sorry this is so long!
ruth a. stiles’s last blog post..the challenge continued…
Monica says
Ruth- Thank you so much for your comments! I agree with you and I think that it is important to have balance in all things. You are right, it is not the church’s job to teach our kids everything. I am challenged often to let my children see my faith lived out in my life and to let them see our utter dependence on God. Thank you also for your service as a Sunday School teacher! You are touching so many lives for Christ.
Jennifer Scruggs says
God has been convicting me lately about this very thing! My son and I are ALOT alike, and since he turned 4, we have spent more time butting heads than anything else. I allow him to push my buttons so quickly– and God is dealing with me about what those buttons are, why they are there, how I need to respond, and what nathan REALLY needs, etc. I need to focus more on the Lord and allow Him to parent my kids through me.
Thanks for the encouragement– and the call to be accountable for my parenting. Any prayers would be appreciated too! 🙂
Nancy M. says
I am guilty too often of thinking of my kids as in the way when I’m trying to do something. Or aggravated in the middle of the nights last week when the little one kept waking me up. I know they are blessings! I need to try to remember that more when my nerves are bad.
Nancy M.’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
LifeAtTheCircus says
I loved this post and meant to comment yesterday but got pulled away…
I agree with your thoughts here…. very good perspective for us all to keep. I thought I’d also add that in seeing them as God sees them, we also need to remember that they are sinners. They are not born innocent as many parents like to think. And from the youngest of age we need to seize the day and the moments to live out and teach them the gospel. They are never to young to hear it, and witness it and we need to find the teachable moments (which often occur during discipline) to teach them these truths. It seems discipline is a great time to share the gospel with our kids over and over… reminding them who we are, who God is, what sin is, that sin has consequences…anyway, those thoughts just came to mind when I saw the post title and thought I’d add my little two cents worth. I am loving this miniseries post your doing here. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us all.
LifeAtTheCircus’s last blog post..We Got Our 6 Pack!!!
Robyn says
So cute! Thanks for sharing…. a cute and easy craft idea!
Thanks 🙂
Robyn’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Winter Sun