Is Christ enough?

Pardon me as a take a side road from my "oily" posting for a post from the heart. It's always a challenge raising kids.  We are responsible for molding them into the persons they will be and are becoming, for pointing them to Christ, for being law abiding, respectful & considerate to all, even when they may not deserve it.  We must teach them to be loving & tender to the lovable & the unlovable.  We teach them to not run stop signs, to do homework, to share their toys or belongings, to pay taxes, to work a hard days work for for an honest days wages, to wash using soap in the bathtub, to sort laundry and all the other millions of things they must continue to learn over a lifetime.  But, some things are just flat out difficult.  How do we teach them to extend grace and forgiveness when times are very difficult?  

It is sometimes very difficult to turn the other cheek.  Here's a paraphrase from Luke 6:28-30.  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.  Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back... WOW, right?!  I absolutely believe every word of this because it is scripture, it is The Word of God but to say it's easy would be a lie.  As a Mom and as a person who is sinful by nature, this is most difficult.  If I believe this I must not only walk it and practice it but I must teach it and model it to my children.  

One of the greatest challenges is to see your children do their best to model this, and not because they feel that they have to, they just do it out of innocence and genuine kindness and yet I see others abuse that or treat them harshly.  As a parent we want to jump in and fix things, or maybe it's just me.  I  know that we all learn from our challenges and mistakes.  If we try to fix  these things perhaps we rob them of life lessons that must be learned and will be most valuable through a lifetime of challenges. Perhaps fixing it will also rob me of something The Lord also wants to teach me; persisting in prayer, trusting His plan, waiting on His timing.  All of these are challenges but growth can be had by all, even us as parents.  Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 

Don't be discouraged parents!  If your child is the aggressor, you also have an incredible opportunity to teach them, to point them to grace and to Christ.  As a parent on the sideline of life I'm working to not be "that parent" that embarrasses their child.  I know that in the long run I'll look back and laugh through many of our trials but for now I'm doing my best to remember that Christ is enough!  As the body of Christ we have the privilege to lift each other in prayer.  Sometimes we're too weak to lift our hands and even our heart in prayer; it's our honor to come alongside our weak sisters and brothers, to lift their hands for them and even lift them to The Lord in prayer.  If I can intercede for you; please ask!  

Let me leave you with a song that is 

such an encouragement to me, I hope 

you'll be strengthened and encouraged as you listen and ponder these words!  God be with you as you travel this road of life; whether you're a parent or not, this message is for you!