"Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:2-8
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:2-8
Over and over again in scripture, Christ calls Christians to be servants (as does Paul in these verses from Philippians), to demonstrate humility and to love others. Serving is a natural outpouring of a Christian's life.
When parenting our children, it is important that we are teaching these truths by example. Children hesitate to obey what they hear but do not witness from us, especially as they get older.
My small group in Women's Bible Study was recently brainstorming different service projects available to do as a family. Women were worried their children were selfish and not appreciative--especially those with teenagers. They wanted to know about mission trips to Mexico or shelters to visit.
Though these are great ideas to incorporate, every parent should make sure that serving is not just a sporadic part of the schedule on your calendar. It should permeate everything you do throughout the day. Your children, and MORE importantly, your Heavenly Father, are watching YOU!
Brainstorm how YOU can demonstrate a servant's heart--give that parking spot to the other car, let someone go ahead of you in line, help pick up the dropped item off the floor, be polite even when the clerk is not being kind, bring dinner to your neighbor, help clean up after a party or event, pick roses from your garden to share with someone, watch someone else's kids so he or she can go to an appointment, return that cart at the store to the right spot, take the time to send THANK YOU's, bring some water to the gardner working outside, do that chore your spouse normally does that you dislike, make cards and scripture encouragement for people in trials, serve faithfully and often at church, and PRAY for others and your attitude throughout the day.
Whew! Those are just examples, but I know if we truly were living that way each day, all day, it would become a more natural attitude in our children as well.
Tana Larson is the Women's Bible Study coordinator at Compass Bible Church. She is a great example of living a life of serving AND having her children practice this as well. I was face painting with her two daughters at our church's Eggstravaganza event for Good Friday. They were there with great attitudes and lots of energy. They are faithful helpers in the kids' ministry, and they help with any whole church event that arises--cleaning, setting up, working booths, stuffing Easter eggs, and many other various tasks. They are learning by the example of Christ in scripture and their parents throughout life, and they practice the command to serve others and humble ourselves.
If you suspect your children (or your own heart) are starting to become discontent or selfish, look at your daily habits. Are you serving others first, or have you started to let the distractions of the day and pressures of the culture around you push you and/or your children to the front of the line?
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39
3 comments:
Chiara, you raise a good point here. And, you never know how God will cultivate the gifts He's given your children at a young age if you teach them to use those gifts while they are still young. When I was 15 I started teaching a Sunday School class to 2 and 3 year olds. By the time I was twenty, God had given me a nationwide platform as an author and speaker. There's no way I would have been ready for that if my parents hadn't taught me to serve while I was a teen. Carter has two great examples to look at when it comes to being a servant!
Timely post as we have been talking in our home about what each of girls' names mean. Paige means exactly that...a page or I like to say, helper or servant's heart. She fits the bill to a tee! Now if only the other's would follow suit. ;o)
Good point. Or, as Pastor Mike has said, these things are more often "caught than taught" by our kids. They will more easily "catch" what you are doing rather than what your are teaching them. We've got to live it if we want to be an effective witness.
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