Titus 2 :7 -And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind.
" Mom, I saw you today !"
" What do you mean?" I asked puzzled.
" I saw you, when dad and I brought you lunch. The door was open a crack , and I saw you being kind to that lady."
I was taken back. I had no idea my daughter was in the hall watching me. She smiled at me before hugging me and bouncing off in that sweet , happy way that she does. I sat and pondered her words for a minute, " I saw you mom !" I realized the truth in what I have been told by older, wiser moms for a long time. Our kids are watching. They are watching us whether we know it or not. Sometimes when we least expect it.
It was a great reminder to me that my kids are indeed watching. They are watching how I treat others, respond in hard situations and talk when others are not present. They are even watching when I may not know they are. They are watching to see if I live out what I tell them I believe when I'm at home . Am I just telling them or are they seeing it in my life? Am I walking with the Lord, reading His Word and asking Him to work in my life ? Is it coming out in my day to day routine and actions? Is it apart of my life at home, at work, in public and even when I am all alone?
We cannot set up scenarios for our kids. It's not a set of phony scenes we can play out for our kids so they think we are good people. It should flow naturally out of our lives as we spend time drawing closer , and getting to know the Lord. It's a reflection of His goodness not our own. It should be an overflow of spending time getting to know Him.
On the flip side my kids have seen other things in my life over the years. They have heard me criticize another person, or watched me pass up opportunities to thrive because I was hurt. My kids have watched me worry and whine. In those times I wasn't even cracking the door for them to see my bad behavior, I was pushing it open and letting it all roll out. They have seen the times I have not spent in prayer or asked God to control my tongue and my attitude. But hopefully as the years tick on my kids have watched me grow. I am not even close to being a perfect parent, but I hope I am a growing parent. He grows us moms so that we can be an example to our kids.
You know dear lady just living this real life day to day, we know we cannot do it on our own. But when we take the time and make it a priority to seek the Lord, read his word and ask for His help, he is faithful to answer and to walk this life with us.I fall short more than I care to admit, but I hope when the door is accidentally open a crack and my kids catch me unaware that I am doing something that blesses their heart. Something that sets an example for their own life. Something that reflects Jesus. I will not always hit the mark, but I pray I am setting that example for my kids more and more.
I desire as our kids grow, become adults and make choices of their own that they can reflect over examples we as parents have left. Not because we planned, and plotted out scenarios for our kids to catch us in some sort of fake act. No , but because we loved the Lord. Hopefully because we allowed him to work on us and use us in the midst of real life. Hopefully because we are living life as we follow Him. If our kids catch us with the door open a crack what a joy it would be to know they are seeing how we live when we don't know they're watching. What a privilege to set an example for them.
Dear Lord, it is really about you working in us as moms ( parents). You are the one working on us and I pray our kids can witness that work. If we touch a life along the way it is because you are so good in our own lives that we wish to bless others. We fall short, and will fall short but you are in the habit of picking us up when we seek you for guidance. Give us a heart for people that need TLC, care, compassion and kindness and then give us the means to act on it. Help us as parents to reflect what walking with you looks like. And when you see fit lord leave the door open a crack for our kids to catch a glimpse of what following you means. Thanks that you can use any mom, anywhere. Not just a select few. You are able to enable us when we ask you for help.What I want my daughter to know more than anything is , Mom did this because she loves the Lord. God you are the real example.
There are real life ways we crack the door open for our kids in our everyday life as their moms. Are you delivering a meal to someone sick, bring your kids. Are you going on a mission trip, bring the kids. Are you mowing a lawn, bring the kids. Whatever you are doing, those small things God has layed on your heart to do for someone else, bring the kids. Not to show off, or put on a show, but to crack the door a little for your kids to see what that means to you. to set an example of how good God is in your own life.
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