Mother’s Day Gifts

 

When my kids were little I tried hard not to, but did, compare them to other kids. Really, what I was doing was comparing myself to other Moms. It just seemed that their children walked, talked, potty trained, and read before mine. I could always find a child surpassing mine and blame myself (as if there was some need to blame anyone).

In a secular magazine article I read when they were still very young, my eyes were opened to the fact that most Mothers did this. The article went on to talk about how sad it is for our children.  When they do accomplish these things the mother is relieved instead of celebrating with the children for their achievement. I saw the truth in that and tried to change my thinking.

Now, thirty years later, with two healthy, bright, productive, adult children I can see how futile all that comparison was – and still is. Both of my children have special gifts. My mother had wise words for me when I was a child comparing myself to others.  She said, “Everyone is good at something. She has her gifts and you have yours.” Wise counsel when applied.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 says,  “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Not just every mother, but every child is given unique gifts by God as He works for the common good of His people. This is a magnificent plan and truth when we think about it.  But it seems we don’t think about it often. We want our children to “measure up” to what God has given to the children of our friends – or our sisters or whomever we run into with a child to brag about! We lose sight of the gifts of our children and want them to conform to the image of our friend’s children.

In Romans 8:29 Paul says, “For those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” We are all to be conformed to image of Jesus Christ, it is part of our job as Christian parents to shape our children with this in mind. Often it looks like we are more concerned about conforming them to the image of a person we think is doing things right.

The Bible does not tell us how old Jesus was when He took His first step, or read His first words. What we know is that He “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

What if that became our goal for our children, that they would increase in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man?

Biblical instruction tells us that the beginning of wisdom  is the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 9:10).  Every child will grow in stature if we teach them to stay physically healthy so they can grow, and a child raised in the fear and admonition of the Lord, living according to God’s Word, will find favor with God and man. one of the wonderful things about teaching a child the ways of God is that other people also find them easier to get along with than those who are not being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

So, if we must compare our kids, let’s compare them to the image of Jesus Christ so they are raised to please God, and live peacefully with all people. They have gifts.  We have gifts.  If we use our gifts to teach them to use theirs, God will be glorified and He will use it for the common good.