Do you offer the “grace of presence” to your children?
Are you an intentional parent?
We Christians hear lots about grace, but do we offer it to our children? Do we model Christ’s grace in a way that they understand it?
Grace-filled family leadership is all about turning mistakes into opportunities for growth.
~Lead Your Family Like Jesus
I know there are too many times that I am “too busy” for my children. I get frustrated, tired, lazy, overwhelmed. I homeschool all four of them and I feel I deserve a break every now and then.
I must remind myself to rely on His strength.
When the devil baits me with my children’s disobedience {or because of my own lack of diligence and consistency as a parent}, I must respond with grace. I must trust in God to speak the right words and show the right actions.
It takes so much more effort to answer my children {and their behavior} patiently and kindly and seize the teachable moment, but it really pays off in the end.
I am too often reminded by gentle nudgings from my Father…I sometimes try too hard. I sometimes forget. I sometimes stop trusting.
When I stray from His path, then I get tired and lazy and full of self.
By trusting my God for answers in everything, especially parenting – because that is my number one priority – I am modeling for my children to trust me. I want them to trust that I have their best interests at heart, just as Jesus has our best interests in His heart. Children don’t always understand the why’s, and we don’t always understand His will, but we must trust and model that trust for our children.
We also must model grace.
If I am constantly harsh and unyielding, then it’s going to inspire rebellion and not obedience. I have to be a “yes mom” sometimes. I have to offer grace sometimes. I have to realize that sometimes natural consequences are more than sufficient for teaching a lesson. They don’t further need me to heap coals on their heads.
I want to be a fun mom who does the fun things and not the mean mom who always says no.
To extend grace, I must be intentional. I must be present. {Present means undivided attention – not on the computer while in the same room.}
I must know my children. I must know their hearts and desires and likes and dislikes. I must teach by example.
Only Jesus can fill us, but surely parents {more than anyone else} guide the way and help children accept Him. I want to witness my kids’ spiritual growth, as well as their intellectual and physical growth. I want to grow leaders for Jesus.
This is why we homeschool.
Grace.
by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges, and Tricia Goyer.
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