“But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” James 1:22-24.
Striking words of scripture, aren’t they? James tells us that we are to be doers of the Word. If we hear Christ’s call on our lives and then ignore it and go about our days as we never heard His commands, we may as well have never listened in the first place. How does your relationship with Christ LOOK to your children? Do you talk about Jesus often and continue to live your life like YOU want to? Or do you model His life as closely as you possibly can? Does your child SEE you living out your life in Christ? Does he/she SEE you spending time daily in His presence? Reading His Word? Speaking to Jesus? Does your child SEE you pray? Daily? Or just when it is time to share a meal?
All children learn to model behavior. Whether it is your behavior or someone else’s, they are watching, learning. If someone were to ask your child about their mommy’s relationship with Jesus, what would he/she say? Would they know what to say? Does your child know that you have your very own one-on-one time with Jesus? If our children do not SEE us living out, modeling, a personal relationship with Christ, how can we expect or even hope for them to one day have their very own personal relationship with Jesus? Your children must SEE you living a life that glorifies Christ so that they can seek the same. They must SEE you develop a personal, meaningful relationship with the One who desires us the most! They want to be just like you……who are you imitating? Who do they SEE you striving to be like?
Do we lecture our children about being kind and gentle and loving and then turn around and snap at our spouses? They are watching, learning. Do we speak kindly to strangers on the street or thank the person checking us out at the grocery store? Your children are watching, modeling.
Am I telling you to pretend like we are happy and carefree and perfect all the time? Absolutely not. That is not what we want our children to SEE either. We want them to SEE our love for Jesus, but also our authenticity. It must be real. If it is a lot of work for us to display this love to others, even our own children, then we must examine our hearts. If we love Jesus with all our hearts, mind, and souls, then doing what He commands of us will come somewhat naturally. If we are trying to be “good” and loving by our own nature, we will inevitably fail. It is Jesus IN YOU that will model what Jesus looks like. Are you a doer of the word? Or have you immediately forgotten what Jesus looks like in you? Your children are watching.
Our most loving and gracious Heavenly Father, we pray that You will teach us to be doers of Your Word. That our children would SEE us living a life worthy of Your calling. We pray that they would SEE us spending time with You, talking with You, loving You. And that Your love would overflow from our hearts into the lives of others, especially our children. May we grow to love You more everyday by spending time with You and growing in our knowledge of You. And may our children experience that same love and knowledge of You that You have so blessed us with. Use us as vessels of Your love that our children may SEE and know You. Amen.
by: Jill Johnson
