The Main Thing

As my children get older, I have started to ponder what road they will choose.  I have raised them to be Christians, but that doesn't mean that they will keep to that road.  I know that if they stay on the path I have set them on, at some point they have to own it for themselves.  I pray every day that they choose the way of life.  I know that God has a story written for each of them, and pray for the grace to love those stories no matter what twists are in the plot.

The main thing that I want to impart to them is a love for Jesus.  I don't them to "be Christians" because they feel like they will disappoint me if they don't.  I don't want them to do what they think I want, or to live in guilt that they might disappoint someone else.  I want them to make choices based on their love for their savior.  I want them to desire fellowship with God, and the freedom that that fellowship brings.  I know that my kids can see hypocrisy a mile away, especially if it is mine.  I want to live out the joy of the Lord before them, and love the life that God has given me.

Some days I fail miserably at being joyful.  I get frustrated with the inefficiency of having little people that make messes, don't follow in line, and say the darnedest things at the darnedest times.  I often complain as I look around and see all of the work that needs to be done, knowing that it will never be finished.  The sermon this Sunday was on discontent, and being thankful.  It took me a good two thirds of the sermon to get content with the five year old sitting beside me poking her sister and crossing her arms and stomping her feet at me when I asked her to stop.  I almost laughed out loud at the picture God was seeing in our row of disgruntled spirits.  We all heard the message and were able to exhort each other on the way home, that we did in fact have much to be thankful for.  I know that I have to love the things I want my children to love.  I want to help them discover their own talents and gifts.  They may be gifted in areas that I have very little interest or ability in, but I need to be their biggest supporter in whatever God gives them.

I used to think I just wanted to have "good kids."  I do want that, but I realize that that is not the main thing.  The main thing is that I have kids that love the Lord their God with all their souls, hearts, and minds.  If they have that love abiding in them then there will be nothing that can shake them.  I don't want them to be comparing themselves to those around them.  I DO NOT ever want to say to them, "What will people think?"  I don't care what people think, I care what their father in Heaven thinks.  I need to keep this foremost in my mind as my children hit the teenage years.  It is easy to judge teens with a very critical eye, and forget to be encouraging in this challenging time.  They need to know now more than ever that I love them down to the core.  They need to have a firm foundation of love to stand on to face the battles that they have ahead of them.  God has given me great kids, all nine of them.  I wish I could take credit for it, but it is all by His grace and love for them.  I have blundered more times this morning than I can count, but He has covered it.  The greatest gift I can give them is my life for theirs.