Today I keep thinking of a saying my Pastor repeats quite often.
"What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess."
I caught myself doing a vain thing, and excused myself by saying, "It's all in moderation."
Then that saying came back to haunt me.
"What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess."
Do I want my (Lord willing) future children to copy me in everything?
Um...gulp...no. Most things, yes. Everything? No. I shiver at the thought. They can copy my strengths all they like, but I hope they don't inherit my weaknesses.
But, "What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess."
So...do I want my vanity to become full-blown arrogance and pride in my children? No.
Do I want my private longings to become open selfishness in my children? No!
Do I want my stingy giving to become greed?
Do I want my "independence" to become rebellion in my children?
Will "indulgences" become addiction to entertainment?
Will sarcasm become cutting words?
Somehow I want to make excuses for myself, but I want my children to be perfect. Looking at things from the perspective of several generations makes everything more serious. I can understand why people say that when you become a parent, all of the sudden you grow up. When you realize that the health of your child's soul depends a great deal on you,...it makes a difference.
Lord, grant me grace to live in such a way that I can say, "Follow me as I follow Christ!"
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2 comments:
Great post, Amber. This is such an important thing to remember.
On the same note, I have noticed the same principle in my experience in childcare.
I have been blessed for the past few years to nanny for four children. The experience has taught me so much about my own sin. It is rather humbling to come home from nannying, be disrespectful to your mom and realize, uh this was exactly what I just punished this child for earlier today. It is amazing how the child disobeying, for us is, just wrapping up a few things before I answer my mom. Or a disrespectful comment or talking back, for us is ok because, you know, we're older and can talk to our parents.
It is a wonderful (and hard I might add) lesson to learn that whether you are 3 or 16, sin is sin.
Thanks so much for "listening" to my ramble. :)
Amber
I always like listening to your ramble, Amber. :)
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