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You’re Being Watched
Parents, when you look at your children, what do you see? No, I’m not referring to the fact that your child is the prettiest, handsomest, strongest, fastest, fill-in-the-blank-est child out there. Everybody already knows that. I’m referring to what you see in their personality and character.
I see myself (and my wife) in our children. Each is a unique combination of the traits of their parents, mixed together into a fascinating amalgamation that begets awe and wonder at God’s awesome blessings: my own flesh and blood.
At the same time, it also begets fear and dread when I think of the awesome responsibility that is my children:
It is my job to feed and clothe them.
It is my job to teach them how to walk and talk.
It is my job to teach them how to function in this world.
But most importantly, it is my job to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).
All parents experience these emotions, especially when your firstborn comes along, because of the complete change in your life, because you’re suddenly the parent instead of the child, and perhaps also because of the lack of sleep. So we all do our best to create a loving, caring, nurturing home in which our children will grow in both wisdom and stature.
Part of this process is establishing the “house rules” that hopefully encourage, or at the very least enforce, good behavior. This is well and good, and Solomon advises us to do this as well:
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it (Pro 22:6).
However, there is a force so sinister and so powerful that it can easily overwhelm all rules and all rational thought so that they are effectively rendered meaningless.
That force is known as Mommy and Daddy.
Yes, the same two people who establish those rules, who work so hard to teach their children right from wrong, can be the same force that rips apart the very fabric they were trying to weave.
There is a reason all those clichés exist:
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
“He’s a chip off the old block.”
They exist because they’re true. And they’re true because another cliché is also true:
“Actions speak louder than words.”
To my children, I am Superman (at least for now). They look up to me like no other person in this world ever has, or ever will. They watch my every move.
They mimic my gestures.
They mimic my idiosyncrasies.
They mimic my actions.
They mimic my words.
Traci is amused when my children exhibit a behavior that they learned from their Daddy. It is amazing what they pick up from watching me, and then proceed to demonstrate, usually in public. They do this because I am their example in how to live, and no amount of rules, motivational speeches, or even fiery threats of punishment can override that example. They are going to mimic me, and as a result, they are going to become me, whichever “me” it is that they see. Therefore, I must always lead the way to God by my example, not just by my words:
Mat 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
If I am to expect it of my children, I must always watch my actions, and always live the life that God expects of me.
