Show them Love to teach them Love

This post has been a long time coming, because it's something I feel is so important, but I just couldn't find the right words to say what I felt. There are so many things that you may know in your head, but living them out is so much more complicated than you would have ever dreamed. I feel like being a parent brings a lot of these issues to the surface.

We all understand, at least somewhat, that the way we act around our kids will teach them how to act. If you have road rage, you're kids will most likely be angry drivers. If you fight with your spouse in front of your kids, you are not only teaching your kids how to fight, but also how to treat the opposite gender and will influence (positively or negatively) how they treat their future spouse. How you act around people will mold their world-view and their actions toward various types of people. How you treat going to church will influence their view on God, Jesus and religion in general.

Here's what I'm trying to say. If you require your kids to get all dressed up for church, have them sit through a long (or even short) church service, make them sing all the right songs and say the right words, and then go home and do it all again the next Sunday, they are not going to enjoy church. They are not going to understand why you attend church. They won't understand Jesus' love for them. They won't understand what Christianity is supposed to be, or what it's supposed to look like. (Let me clarify right here - we attend church every Sunday. I am not at all saying you shouldn't attend church, bring your kids, have them worship with you etc. Just keep reading and I think you'll get what I'm trying to say.) 

Every little kid who's every spent any time in church knows the song "Jesus Loves Me," but it is our job as parents to show them and teach them that Jesus really does love them. A child will not understand that Jesus loves them if the only time they hear about Jesus' love is when they're in an uncomfortable dress/suit singing with a bunch of kids once a week. Sorry, it's just not going to happen. A child is going to learn about Jesus' love for them and the world in their every day lives. How we act at home, how we treat other people, how we talk about Jesus on any other day besides Sunday - those are the ways a child is going to learn about Jesus' love. If you make fun of homeless people when yo're driving through the city, you're teaching your child that Jesus doesn't love them as much as He loves those better off. If you look with condescension on those who didn't "dress right" for church that day, you're teaching your kids that how you look is more important than how you love. If you never show your kids the parts of the world that are persecuting Christians, they will not have the level of gratitude that everyone of us should have for the freedom to worship Christ openly. If you don't serve, they won't serve. It's that simple.

When Christ was here on earth, it's apparent that He honored the Jewish Sabbath day; however, we rarely hear about him going to the temple to "fellowship with other believers." Who do we see him hanging out with the majority of the time (besides his disciples)? He spent time with sinners, with the less fortunate, with the hungry, the poor. He spent his earthly ministry feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and praying with and for those who hated him. He was a Light to the darkness; He was Salt to the world.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in "how we've always done things" that we forget that the whole reason for our hope of eternal life is Christ's love and sacrifice. It's not tradition, a solid Christian heritage or our "high standards." It was Love that saved us. It's Love that is interceding for us at the Father's throne. It's Love that gives us grace each and every day. Love is the very foundation of Christianity. Love for those who most deem unloveable. Love without expecting anything in return. Sacrificial Love. It's so hard. It's not human. It's a supernatural Love that can only come from the Holy Spirit.

I've heard many people say that we need to not spend so much time talking about love, because it's the Gospel that saves, and that's true. But the Gospel is based in Love! And it's our love for Christ that will have us continue in our faith. Just as your love for your spouse causes you to do things that he or she would enjoy and keeps you from doing things they don't enjoy so much, our Love for Christ is what will keep us in His will (along with a whole lot of work from the Holy Spirit.) Your sanctification is not based on you or your works, it's based on the same thing that saved you - the grace, power and love of God.

This Christmas, I encourage all of you to find a creative way to demonstrate the Love of God to your kids. God the Father gave us EVERYTHING, which is the whole reason for Christmas. Whether you sacrifice some of your time in this crazy season, some of that money you were saving for January sales, whatever else you can think of; try and teach your kids what Jesus' Love really looks like. Christians are supposed to be known for their love. Show the world you're a Christian this Christmas - Love someone.

Operation Christmas Child is one of my favorite charities. They help provide
a brighter Christmas for kids in less fortunate circumstances, while also
sharing the gospel with many who have never heard. There are many other programs
that assist with under privileged this time of year, even in your local neighborhood.