Encourage Your Children To Be A Light
“You are the light of the world. A city on the hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14
We are so special. Not because of anything we specifically do but because we are children of God. Through him we have a light that can shine in the darkness of the world. In a cynical world like the one we live in that has little regard for biblical principals or reverence for Jesus we can’t afford to hide our light. When I had my daughter I became extremely sensitive to the dangers of the world and the potential effect it could have on my daughter. I realized more than ever that in our home my light had to shine before her so my love for God would be contagious in her life. I’m a working mom and unfortunately my daughter is in school for a good portion of the day I can’t control what she’s exposed to the hours she’s away. Let’s face it, regardless if you’re a working mom or a SAHM the world creeps in. What can we do? Become a beacon of light in their life!
Make a conscious effort to let your light inspire your children. The greatest gift a mom can give is to shine brightly inside and outside of her home. When your kids observe your light in all circumstances they’ll want to follow in your footsteps. Jesus tells us we aren’t to hide our light or put it under the table. This is his purpose for us, is to draw others toward him. This requires us to be strong in our conviction and not hide our faith. For example, I’ve been out with friends who don’t pray before they eat, but I do and so does Anya. What would happen if I decided not to pray because my friend wasn’t? Do you think if Anya is in the same scenario later without me she’ll pray? Most likely she won’t. She’ll observe that I’m only a Christian when it is convenient and Christianity isn’t about convenience it is about who you are when no one is looking and when they are looking.
What we do now instills a pattern in our child’s life. It’s important to teach them not to follow the crowd, but to let their light shine and not hide it from others. Kids are impressionable and they naturally desire to fit in. This desire is usually in contrast to the biblical principals we’re trying to instill in them. Teach them through example that their light is a special gift to be shared and encourage them to shine both in private and in public.
Copyright © Chere Williams, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved