Ministries
In Part 1 of “From the Whiteboard,” we discussed the importance of children building resiliency through difficult emotions, praying for your children, and allowing God an opportunity to approach His children when they struggle. Today, we will recognize God as the most important person in your family.
Part 2: STAY GROUNDED, BUT HAVE SOME FUN!
It is easy to forget that God gives us what we do not deserve. Like a piece of art, our value is determined by the Artist who created us (God) and the price One paid for us (God’s own life). We did nothing to deserve our value (Eph. 2:8-10). Our worth is measured by God’s immeasurable grace, not by our fallible standards. Loving your children does not require submitting to each and every whim; that is not in their best interest. Avoid putting your child on a pedestal. Your child should not be the center of your universe (nor of his or her own universe). God alone should hold that position, and your spouse should follow as your next priority. Your child will reap benefits from the healthy example you set in your relational hierarchy. Your child will learn to seek God first, then to love the people whom God puts in his or her path. True humility—rooted not in a lack of self-respect, but in confidence empowered by the Holy Spirit—is foundational to your child understanding God’s grace. It is also a characteristic that God expects in each of His followers (Isa. 66:2b).
That is not to say you cannot lavish love on your child. God knows how to give good gifts (James 1:17), and so should we. Say “yes” to a spontaneous weekend trip (within reason) or to making a mess while building a fort. Say “yes” whenever you can. But say “no” when it serves your child. If your child expects a phone before you have peace giving him or her that responsibility, say “no.” If your child demands a new outfit for every school function when your family can’t afford it, say “no.” If your child eats himself or herself sick when sweets are within reach, say “no” to more than one dessert after dinner. You are helping your child filter the material world through God’s lens and modeling healthy standards. If there is no reason to say “no,” then by all means say “yes,” but that small two-letter word “no” can be an expression of love if it means you are seeking God’s version of good for your child (Prov. 23:13-14, Heb. 12:11).
And when you do say “yes,” join in on the fun. Relish your inner child as you play with your kids, and reignite your own sense of wonder (Psalm 33:8, 86:8-10). Explore the outdoors, pointing out all the colors in God’s creation, or cook together, examining all the nutritious food God provides. God’s beauty is all around us, and sometimes it takes playing with our kids to remind us of how cool this world and its God really are (Gen. 1:31, Exod. 15:11).
