He was born with a weird earlobe, the lobe itself is kinda split...like two little lobes on one cute ear. He looked at it and GASPED, "It's broken!!!" Josh laughed and said, "Yeah, isn't it cool!" His little imperfection is cute and gives him character, but most flaws aren't like that. Especially those interior flaws.
Like, TWO years ago or something our church had a series in Children's Church called: I obey right away.
They covered that one topic for a few months. It was awesome!!!! Since then all I need to do is bend down and whisper, "I obey...". Without fail that child will (sometimes grudgingly) reply, "Right Away!" and off he goes...to put clothes away, or sweep, or put legos in the toy room.
Sometimes I give an instruction and the response is, "I don't want to!" To which I reply, "It doesn't matter what you want, what matters is that you obey. I obey..."
They are learning that obedience may be unpleasant, but it is not a choice. I hope it is always so easy for them to put aside their resistance and just do it...just do the right thing!
Recently I have been thinking about obedience in the adult life. As a child obedience is easy. It's expected, enforced; disobedience begets a swat or two (at least in this house). For a kid the consequence is clear cut and immediate. They choose wrong they get a negative result. Simple.
For an adult it's not so crystal. Consequence gets muddled by life. We don't see the result of our rebellion immediately and we deceive ourselves, thinking we have really gotten away with something. Sometimes the result takes years to catch up to our choice, but it always does, and when it does it may not be so obvious that the negative experience is a result of our previous action.
When we don't pay a mortgage payment we are not evicted... immediately.
When we steal from employers we are not fired...that day.
When we disrespect our spouse we don't get divorced...within that hour.
The worst thing about grown up consequence is the grown up pain. It is far reaching and destructive, effecting all of those around us as much as ourselves. Wouldn't you rather have a swat to the rear over an eviction?
I love my boys and want them to mature into self correction, self assessment, into men that see bad behavior in themselves and fix it. Right away! But am I doing that myself!!!???? It's amazing to me how having kids is the ultimate mirror. How you are raising them is a reflection of yourself! I am so challenged by this.
The bible likens itself to a perfect mirror. What the heck does that mean? We look into it and see ourselves like Sam saw himself, broken, needing healing. We see that repentance brings redemption. And with that redemption comes healing. And with that healing come a responsibility to obey His directions, to obey right away. We should see ourselves in the mirror the way Christ does, loved to death by Him.
If my boys can grow and consistently look into that mirror, see who they really are, tweak it if necessary, and continue on, then I will be a very happy momma.
James 1:25
New International Version (NIV)
25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
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