Advice from A Revolutionary Mom: “God is more excited about a servant than a superstar.”
You are your child’s first teacher. They learn so much at a young age by just watching you! And your child is following you, as you follow God. Whatever you believe, you are teaching your child by example.
That is pretty scary.
When I make excuses for my bad behavior, I am teaching my child that I really DON’T believe that Scripture is the final word. I believe that my cirucumstances are special.
If I am angry, and then brush it under the rug and don’t make reconciliation, I am showing them what I really believe about God’s word. It can be overlooked and disregarded.
When I dismiss the manmade laws that I don’t like (driving over the speed limit, not wearing my seatbelt) I show them that I am above the law when God tells me to obey all the ordinances of man. My problem is with God’s word.
When I manipulate my circumstances, I am showing them what I really believe about God’s sovereignty.
When I complain about my problems, I am showing them what I really believe about God’s providence.
However I live, that is the “gospel” I am preaching to my kids.
And it had better be THE accurate gospel and not some twisted, mangled version.
George Barna, in his book Revolutionary Parenting says,
” Parents who rasied spiritual champions certainly placed a high premium on the spiritual development of their children. But the fascinating distinctive is that they saw themselves as the primary spiritual developers of their young. The role of the church to which they belonged…was to reinforce what was happening in the household.”
“In a quarter of a century doing research I have rarely encountered instances where 100 percent of the group being studied agreed on something. Yet EVERY single Revolutionary Parent we interviewed agreed that the most important focus of their children’s training was the development of godly character. ”
He goes on to say that we live in a culture that values high perfomance and striving to grasp information (academics) and honing skills (sports, instruments, etc…) But there is another area that is more important.
“Spiritual champions have the advantage of being raised by parents who are more concerned about the love they show fellow students than whether they outperfom them. They are raised to tell the truth, even if it means they might lose some opportunities. ” pg 47, Revolutionary Parenting
One mother interviewed recalled the behavior of her son who was always trying to impress his parents with his grades or his sports feats. His mother reports, ” WE kept coming back to how he treated people…and what kind of stories he’d tell his friends. We tried to affirm his accomplishments, but we worked at keeping those things in their proper place. He was sick of heaing me tell him that I’d rather have an honest boy than a smart one, and that God was more excited about a servant than a superstar.” pg. 48, Revolutionary Parenting
I can remember when Rebekah was little, someone was trying to tell me that she would be the next “Brittany Spears.” I was honestly horrified! I told the lady that I hope that she was never like Brittany Spears. She, of course, couldn’t understand. I have higher expectations for my daughter than fame at the cost of exploiting her body to a world of men.
This world is a crazy place and I am trying to guide my children through the craziness by using God’s word as a guide and light. We cannot live based on our feelings, because sometimes my feelings are wrong. (Have you ever felt like just walking out on your kids? Mkay, then. Feelings can be wrong!) And when what I feel like doing is in violation of God’s reavealed truth, I have to walk away from my own desires.
Romans 12 tells me that it is only reasonable to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This means that I must “BOW/submit” my will, my words, my actions, my liberties, my emotions, my entire life to the one who bought me with His precious blood from the bondage that I was under. As I live this out before my kids and teach them the same, I am able to parent them for God’s glory. I may not win any popularity contests with other parents, or even with my own kids at certain times, but I am not here for that. I am here to make Him smile. I must live for an audience of One.
Don’t loose heart in your parenting! It is hard. It is unpopular. It can be lousy sometimes, but keep your goal in mind and keep on going! 🙂
Did you miss parts of this series on Revolutionary Parenting? Catch up here. Part One and Part Two
We talk to the boys about whatever they turn their hands to to turn it with all their might – and talk about giving their work as a praise offering to God. But we also talk about praying for others while at school. That a bully’s behavior is often a cry for God – a cry for someone to pray for him.
Yes – I don’t have girls so I don’t have to deal with the Princess thing or Brittany Spears (though I love talking about what it is like to be a daughter of the king).
Teaching boys how to love their fellow man is so different from girls. They are called sometimes to love others through championing those being bullied, to be soldiers,yes, but Godly soldiers. To be bread winners, to be leaders. To be real men with real Jesus love within them. That is indeed a challenge.
The world does all it can to pull us to it. We must be different! We must put on the full armor of God in order to stand against the enemy. He wants nothing more than to take our focus off the one TRUE GOD!!
(blog hopped form WLW) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Sarah! It was just the kind of pep talk I needed!!!
Excellent post! Thank you so much for reminding me and encouraging me. It is so easy to lose the perspective of “servant”… In His Grace, Karen
It is hard to remember in this world, isn’t it, Karen? It is all upside down here from what scripture teaches.