Living the Gospel at Home

Through our "Faith at Home" Sunday school, we've talked about the gigantic pressure and responsibility a parent has to live out the gospel at home. How do your children define you? Could your children list the top 5 things that are most important to you?

Sunday, I asked our parents to go home and brainstorm about the following ideas:

• What are your spiritual goals for your child? For your Family?

As we are in the process of listening and following the Lord's vision for ChristChurch, we have goals, plans and strategies.  Do you have the same goals in your home? Do you have goals in what you are going to teach your child and when you will teach them? 

• Define a Spiritually Mature Child.  
• Define a Spiritually Mature Adult. 
• Is there a difference between the two in your eyes?
• What does scripture say you should be teaching and counseling your children in?

• What difference does your faith make to you?
• What difference COULD your faith make to you?

Your children are following your every move. Are you setting an example of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, (Read this article to learn more about MTD) a faith that makes you feel good, it's convenient, without repentance of sins, without serving a God that came to serve. OR are you modeling the Gospel of Jesus Christ; in which He seeks Justice, shows Mercy, provides Grace, teaches Redemption, gives Hope and fills us with immeasurable amounts of Love and Joy. 

What do you want your child to experience? What do you want your child to be defined as? 

Charlotte and Gracie 

teaching me what complete Joy and Child-Like faith Looks like

Sunday morning, I spoke of a conversation I had with little girl Charlotte, who was 6. Last summer, I went to the beach with a family who had just lost their mom\wife a week and a half before we left. It was a trip in which I had no idea what to expect but, I knew God had me right where I needed to be.  Charlotte wanted to talk about her mom the most on this trip. Her three older siblings were not in a place of wanting to do that yet.  So, Charlotte and I just talked and talked and talked about her mama.  Everything pink and Lilly Pulitzer reminded her of her mom, so did braids, sweet-tea, tennis and chocolate.... and bedtime. It was hard at bedtime.

One of my last nights with them before I moved to Dalton, I took Charlotte and her cousin Gracie (also 6) to get ice cream. We hopped on the golf-cart at about the time the sun was setting. It was awesome. It was about a 15 minute ride and we watched the sun set. The sky changed colors to every shade of pink that you can imagine. Of course, Charlotte immediately started talking about her mama, and because the pink was in the sky- our conversation of Heaven then followed:

Charlotte: "When my mom brought me here to get ice cream, we had chocolate and mango ice cream. I miss her being here at Bald head."

Me: Charlotte, she's  here with you! You know how you still hear her voice and know what she would want you to do that is right and wrong? She's here and she's enjoying Bald Head too.

Charlotte: I think my mommy has wings in heaven.

Me: I bet she does Charlotte! What else do you think about your mommy in heaven?

C: That she's drinking lots of sweet tea, singing, looking at God's beard and she's finally able to eat again.

Me: What do you think she does?

C: I think she is just waiting for me to get there... and my dad. I think she probably misses me.

Me: You know how we have a lot of scary things here on the earth, that bad guys and Cancer and scary storms?

C: Yes Ma'am

Me: Well, how awesome is it that in Heaven there is no cancer, no storms, and no bad guys. Your mommy is so,so happy-- and she's not sick anymore. She's healthy and she's just so proud of you, Charlotte. You are so important to her. She's just waiting for you in Heaven and you can carry in your heart and in your mind every important thing she's taught you about how to act and how not to act. She taught you lots of good things.

C: Yeah, like how to tie my shoes, how to write my name, verses of the bible, and how to put my hair in a pony tail.

Our conversation lasted about an hour. We talked about when we feel God, when we know God is present and when we know God is in control. After we left the ice cream shop, with all of our stickiness, stains and spills, things were just as they were. But, we had the conversation that was hard... and because of God's providence and timing, it all Revolved around His goodness, His love and His complete control. Charlotte's wisdom was\is a DIRECT product of what her mom had taught her and how her mom modeled the selfless Gospel of Jesus Christ. Charlotte's mom was completely confident in the Lord's will- and lived a life without fear. 

Look for opportunities to talk about "God-sightings" this week with your kids. I don't have a creative name for it, but, this can be easy. It can be on a car-ride when eye- contact doesn't have to be direct (conversations are often easier for kids if they don't feel like they're being lectured or confronted), it can be at bedtime, it can be in the bath. Ask your kids where God helped them today and you will be amazed at what the Holy Spirit is teaching your kids.