In the evening, before bedtime, the kids and I usually do some type of devotional. This month it has been on the Beatitudes . Yesterday, the following conversation ensued:
Me: “Am I the same person in private as I am in public?”
Kids: “Well……kinda.”
Me: (surprised) “Really?! How so?”
Kids: (Honesty) “You seem like you are excited to talk to grown ups, but at home, you are only a little excited to talk to us. You get frustrated and yell sometimes, but you don’t do that in public.”
Me: (Gulp) “You’re right. I get frustrated when I ask you politely to do something, then you don’t do it.
Me: (To kids) Your life is like a cup of water in a crystal clear glass. When others sample your water do they feel refreshed or is your water filled with Oreo cookie chunks, mud or other nasty things? Is the water of your soul clean or do you have impure things in your cup….like telling dirty jokes, or looking at things on the computer that you know will hurt you. Each of these “Impurities” adds a chunk of Oreo cookies to your water making it not clear any more.”
Photo compliments: blog.shaleshockmedia.org
God calls us to be single-hearted. If you’re double-hearted, you have a love for the world and for God and that produces dirty water. Being single-hearted is called, “Holiness” or pure in heart.
Kids: If we are holy, does that mean we have to be bored?”
Me: (Laughing) Absolutely not! You can have a blast and be holy! You should have seen mom and dad go white water rafting. We were screaming with excitement going down the river. It’s just good clean fun. God wants us to know a lot about Him and watch out for the stranger-dangers of this world. Matthew 10:16 says “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Kids: Shrewd as snakes?
Me: Yeah, don’t let people take advantage of you, use good judgement and be wise to things in this world that would try to hurt or trick you.
I tuck the kids into bed. My husband prays with them this night.
Middle Son: Thanks for teaching us about this stuff mom.
Me: You’re welcome.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Tim Hawkins is our favorite “Clean and hilarious” comedian. Check him out….I know you’ll love him too!
What kinds of things do you and your family participate in that is good, clean fun?
Related articles
- How To Be Holy (dianasymons.com)
- Classy Not Trashy
Lisa, have been wondering how you were!
Well, Jesus was the holiest and so when we emulate Him I doubt we will be bored…it is an adventure never knowing what is around the corner! 1 Cor.11:1
Singing!
Did you see Tim Hawkins, the comedian?
No, not yet. But I will this weekend. Well, not “go” see him, But go to the links.
Let me know what you think! I’d love to hear your thoughts.
http://aroundeverycornerat.blogspot.com/2013/02/valentines-day-challenge.html
Happy Valentines Day Lisa!! No, holiness is learning to emulate Jesus…and His life was not boring!!
What a great time to spend with your children…those moments are so special…Diane
Thanks Diane. It is a sacrifice to spend 45 minutes to an hour with them every night, but I know it is worth it. One time, they were being rowdy and disrespectful and I asked them to stop and they didn’t. I got up and said, “Ok. I’m done for the night. No devotion.” They were really upset. They understand now that I am sacrificing my time to be with them. Some days, I just want to catch American Idol.
I can remember to a degree what that was like…I’m not sure if you mentioned their ages or not but something I did ad different times is ..that I would talk to them one on one and explain how their actions were affecting me and the family in general….and also at times I wrote them letters to read instead of speaking to them…Unasked for advice but just some thoughts….Diane
I must admit I used to think you had to be prim and proper to experience God’s Holiness. Thankfully God showed me differently and I can also have a blast and be holy!
God is wonderful in how He created us all unique.
That is the beauty in the body of Christ, right!? What are you really gifted in doing? Compassion? Administration? Leadership? Mercy?
How ironic you should ask…I have been asked to serve on the BSF team. I meet with our Leader – moderator – gee I don’t know her title…anyway I am just trusting God to lead me where He wants me to serve if at all at BSF. Administration is what I enjoy doing, Leadership is out of my comfort zone but will be a challenge and God has indeed blessed me with the gift of compassion – my heart is always full praying for those who are suffering. So if this is where God wants me to serve then I know if it is in leadership that He will provide a way for me. Either way it will be a blast!
Makes me wish I’d been brought up by loving, Christian parents . . . but at the same time, I am soooooooooo thankful that my upbringing was as far from that as possible. I praise God for all the abuse of my first 22 years, because it helped make me what I am and gave me an enormous appreciation of the newness of my life in Christ and all of His abundant blessings.
We serve an incredibly amazing God!
Your comment amazes me. ” I praise God for all the abuse of my first 22 years…” That says so much about God. He takes our messes and turns them into a message. He takes our failures and mistakes and blesses them. I am so glad for you. We DO serve an amazing and loving God. Thank you for a profound comment!
Reblogged this on Women in White.