Recently we had people over for dinner. Our kids didn't know them but were so excited to have company. As soon as they heard, they started making cards, pictures, fans, and anything else they could think of to give them. It made me ache a little watching it. These precious little children trust me so much. They know that anyone who comes into our home is going to like them. And they are right. The only people we have in our home are people who will treat everyone in our family a certain way.
As a mom (or dad) you are your child's first line of protection. We can pray that God will protect our kids but as a parent it starts with you. You need to have wisdom about the people you allow into your child's life. You need to have wisdom about the people who watch your children, play with your children and who come into your home. Your home is a sacred place that your family should be able to feel safe in. Watching my children be vulnerable like that made me feel this even more strongly. I will never have a child to my house that is not nice to ALL my kids. I won't have babysitters that don't know Jesus and have their own walk with Him, and I won't be dropping my kids off in places where I don't know the people in charge. These precious little people need me to be their protector until they are ready to go out there and make some decisions of their own. God gave them to me to take care of and that doesn't mean to just feed them and buy them clothes. It means protecting them from physical or emotional harm. It means training, teaching and disciplining them. And it means that I have to be an example.
Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
I love this verse. If I am living life with my God, He will be protecting my children. An added blessing of my relationship with God will create an extra hedge of protection for them that I alone could not give them.
Do you know what's in the books your kids read? Or the shows they watch? Or the music they are listening to? Anything that goes into that precious little mind is going to influence it, make an impression on it, and be in there forever. Forever!! You can't take it out once it's in there! As a parent we have so much influence over our children. Pay attention to what is going into their minds. My kids will make their own choices in life no matter what I do, but I need to do everything possible to help them know Christ. I hope that I'm doing that. I hope they will grow into adults that know and love God. I hope they have teachable spirits and wisdom with the choices they make. And I hope that they will influence others for Christ.
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
No comments:
Post a Comment