The kids ran around screaming, one dive-bombed under the table for protection, and I stood up like I had a cape on and proclaimed, “Everything’s fine! The wasp is not going to hurt you. Just hold still and let me get it!”
I got a cup and trapped the wasp against the window glass and slid a paper plate underneath, keeping the wasp contained. I opened the front door and calmly released the intruder back into the wilderness. I then proceeded to tell the kids why they don’t need to freak out, knowing they’re ok and we are totally safe. I wanted to impart a sense of well-being to them. There’s no need to panic, dear children.
We sat down again and continued building a magnatile house.
But to my dismay, something quickly flew past while buzzing.
Without even thinking I BOLTED for the kitchen while screaming. It was a total knee-jerk reaction and the collective cool I had with the first wasp totally went out the window.
So much for my attempt to pass on a sense of well-being to my kids when it comes to insects. I’m sure they sat there taking mental notes: Scream and run. Check.
It may seem silly, but over the years I really have tried to learn how to have rational reactions to insects and rodents. My husband has kindly reminded me time and time again that I am much larger than these specimens and they most likely are afraid of me, not the other way around. I am getting the hang of this concept. Me being the one in control in these circumstances, keeping perspective that these uninvited guests are not plotting to kill me. I have the upper hand.
But no matter how hard I try to maintain calm reactions when dealing with critters, occasionally I forget. And when I do you’d think there was a full-sized alligator coming after me.
How typical is this for other areas of our lives as well?
The things we wish we could change but still struggle to?
Bugs and insects are a light-hearted example, but it reminds me of heavier, harder things.
The sins we don’t want to continue passing on to our children.
The anger that I battle with. My continual impatience. All the fear, anxiety and stress I regularly mingle with. And this is just my short list.
As parents we long for our kids to be able to look to us as an example to exemplify.
I’d love it if when they looked at me they only saw amazing traits they could grab hold of and emulate.
But what happens when the traits they see are the ones I’m desperate to change? The ones I’m ashamed of? The ones I wish would stop rearing their ugly heads? The thorns I daily wage war against?
And even though sometimes it feels like it, I know I’m not alone in this because we ALL fall short of the glory of God.
Every single human has things they want to rid themselves of – actions, attitudes and behaviors they aren’t proud of.
We all have areas we would want to eradicate.
But we will never (not even for one second) be perfect this side of heaven.
No one is, or has been or will be.
No one except Jesus.
So we live in this complex tension of longing for perfection but not being able to attain it.
Desiring to be holy as He is, while knowing it won’t 100% happen until we meet him face to face.
It’s like we’re these beautiful creatures, living out our redemption, becoming more and more like Christ. While at the same time, still regularly dancing with sin but not wanting to. Giving in to temptation to live out our old selves but wishing we didn’t. Falling and failing over and over again as we walk our way home.
What comfort can we take knowing our children will definitely see our shortcomings? And may not just see them, but might even adopt these sins as their own?
What then?
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Preach. it. Paul.
Amen.
God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.
Our weaknesses, the very things we want to hide, can be yelled from the rooftop and discussed openly with our children because they ARE the exact windows our children can look through to see the power of Christ.
They may be thinking, “Jesus saved you from anger? He loves you while you battle with pride, anxiety, fear, lust, worry, etc? Wow. That’s some savior.”
Our kids will be able to tangibly see the story of redemption right in our homes.
They intimately know our sin.
Why not begin discussing our sin openly and shining a light on what we battle so that it can point to the even brighter Light that saves us from it?
Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed thinking about all the sins I might pass on to my children. But rather than run from the fact that I’m a sinner, I want to begin boasting in it.
Our sins actually illuminate Christ all the more.
It shows so clearly how great Jesus is, that he powerfully conquered death to take away the sins of the world.
Instead of feeling shame for our sin and wishing we could bury it deep, let’s bring it to light and let God show his story of redemption and forgiveness in a very real way.
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