This
morning’s blog is coming to you live from last Saturday morning. That’s right,
folks! I was trying to find some extra inspiration by going above the clouds in hopes of getting closer to God for this one. So at an elevation of roughly 35,000 feet above
the heart of SEC country, I was privileged to jot down a few thoughts. I
promise to try to keep my blog short. For one, I need to freshen up on my Haitian
Creole. For two, I need to finish this before we land, lest I become forced to
scrap this whole in-flight theme I’ve got going.
The
thing is I’ve never really paid much attention to the “safety instructions” on
previous trips. Yet this time around I noticed an important sequence in the
safety procedures. In a scenario in which we lose cabin pressure and the
oxygen masks drop, we’ve been instructed to first put on our own masks before
trying to assist someone else. While this might initially sound selfish to you
as it did me, it actually makes a lot of sense. Before one can be of help to another,
he must first be safe himself. If it doesn’t happen, there is a good chance
that this well-meaning individual will not be around long enough to help. It
seems imperative that we ourselves be healthy and plugged into a reliable source
of oxygen. If we are not properly connected to our most important source, our
efforts to help anyone else become more than dismally limited, they become non-existent.
Now if
you notice in the illustration they’ve produced for picture book people like
myself, a mother and her son are used as an example. The woman first positions the mask with a sustaining
supply of oxygen to her face. She then proceeds to take care of her little guy.
Not selfish, not misguided efforts – it’s just simply the best hope for the
both of them. Now, I know I’ve already tipped my hand and you are probably
accusing me of over-spiritualizing things once again. However, there is a simple principle at work here that should
be considered by parents that are longing to raise godly children.
It is
simple. So simple in fact that it can be easily overlooked if we’re not
careful. We must first have a connection to our Savior. We must be healthy and
thriving, personally reliant upon Christ before we can be in any position to
disciple our sons and daughters. Wanting more for our kids is natural. Hoping
they experience better than us, well, that is to be expected. But wanting a faith for
our children that we ourselves have never tasted is somewhat silly. How much of
an impression has the ‘do as I say, not
as I do’ mentality made on you as an individual? “Hey, place your faith in this Deity that I don’t personally know or
understand. Believe in the One I’ve not yet trusted.” I mean that doesn’t
exactly sound compelling, does it?
The
spiritual wellbeing of our children is of utmost importance. Their knowing
Jesus is as vital as the air we breathe. But another truth worth acknowledging
is the significant role we are called to play in such development. And
if we can look honestly for a moment, I think that most of us would agree - seeing
faith walked out is far more impactful than having it only talked about. Jesus
tells us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and we’ll find provision
for all we need (Matthew 6:33). In this context, I believe the Lord is challenging us like so: “Seek me, trust me, be right with me, and you will be more than equipped
to lead your family.” When our relationship with the King is right, our
relationships and influence with others will be exactly as they should be as well.
So in
closing… If you have dropped the ball as a spiritual leader in your home, pick
it back up and remember that God’s grace is greater. To use the example from
earlier, your child may very well find the mask, so to speak, and believe in Jesus
whether you are of any help or not. Also, you can do everything right and the
plane still may go down. Your salvation, my salvation, and your child’s coming
to a saving knowledge of Christ, is God’s work – it is His doing all the way.
Of course part of His grace towards us is that He allows us to participate as instruments of righteousness in His redemption story. Well, it is time to
turn off all electronic devises and return trays to their upright position, so
I guess I will wrap it up. With the hope that we can be around long enough to help and set
an example in our words and deeds, Lord, may you lead us to first take care of
ourselves…
matt@nbchurch.info
Twitter: @FattMowler
Facebook: TheFattMowler
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