The day a child is born is magical. There truly is nothing like those first few moments when you see, hear and hold your child for the first time. The word "perfect" is often used to describe the new blessing.
While children certainly are gifts of God, beautiful creations and demonstrations of his handiwork, they are far from perfect. I do believe we are doing our children a disservice by telling them from birth how perfect and good they are. We tell them they are strong and they can do anything. While this all sounds amazingly uplifting, it's actually a recipe for disaster.
The reality is that our children are born sinful, flawed human beings in need of a Savior. They are not perfect. They are not good. They are not enough.
While attending a Mom's Group for mothers with young children a few years ago, the theme You are Enough was constantly reiterated. The goal was for moms to feel as though their efforts to take care of their families was enough. They didn't need to be like someone else.
I knew that didn't quite sit well with me, but I wasn't sure why. As I discussed it with my husband, I realized why it made me so uncomfortable.
The thing is...we will never be enough. No matter our efforts, they will never be enough for other people. We aren't enough for ourselves. We NEED God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is the only Enough. Once we realize and accept this, joy can truly take place.
The indoctrination of so called self esteem via positivity is a false reality. Underneath the seeming confidence derived from self, there will inevitably be confusion and lack of purpose. Confidence is meant to be derived from Jesus Christ, no one else and no other accomplishment. He is the rock, the sure foundation that cannot be moved. If we place our trust and hope in ourselves, others or anything of this world, it will crumble and fall. We will fall with it. We will end up living a pseudo life instead of what God intended.
Once we realize there is no good in us apart from the God who made us, that weight that many of the moms I sat with is lifted. Our kids can have freedom to be themselves without the pressure to be that perfect baby everyone said they were. Instead of only living according to the law, we live as though Christ has come back and fulfulled the law.
Grace is given, but often forfeited.
While children certainly are gifts of God, beautiful creations and demonstrations of his handiwork, they are far from perfect. I do believe we are doing our children a disservice by telling them from birth how perfect and good they are. We tell them they are strong and they can do anything. While this all sounds amazingly uplifting, it's actually a recipe for disaster.
The reality is that our children are born sinful, flawed human beings in need of a Savior. They are not perfect. They are not good. They are not enough.
While attending a Mom's Group for mothers with young children a few years ago, the theme You are Enough was constantly reiterated. The goal was for moms to feel as though their efforts to take care of their families was enough. They didn't need to be like someone else.
I knew that didn't quite sit well with me, but I wasn't sure why. As I discussed it with my husband, I realized why it made me so uncomfortable.
The thing is...we will never be enough. No matter our efforts, they will never be enough for other people. We aren't enough for ourselves. We NEED God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is the only Enough. Once we realize and accept this, joy can truly take place.
The indoctrination of so called self esteem via positivity is a false reality. Underneath the seeming confidence derived from self, there will inevitably be confusion and lack of purpose. Confidence is meant to be derived from Jesus Christ, no one else and no other accomplishment. He is the rock, the sure foundation that cannot be moved. If we place our trust and hope in ourselves, others or anything of this world, it will crumble and fall. We will fall with it. We will end up living a pseudo life instead of what God intended.
Once we realize there is no good in us apart from the God who made us, that weight that many of the moms I sat with is lifted. Our kids can have freedom to be themselves without the pressure to be that perfect baby everyone said they were. Instead of only living according to the law, we live as though Christ has come back and fulfulled the law.
Grace is given, but often forfeited.
