Last night I had dinner with a dear friend. I am always guaranteed great & meaningful conversation when we get together. And we fit in some dinner too 🙂 Last night was no exception. I always ask about her children as she is a single mom raising two teenagers, close in age, one a boy & the other a girl. The combination of it all makes for one monumental undertaking.
My friend shared last night that she came home from work (yes, did I mention that she also works full time?) to her two children working together, cleaning up her flower beds & yard. The front beds were tidied up & looking good. As she went around to the back, yup, there was a fire going in the fire pit to burn the debris. After all, wasn’t that the very thing they had seen their mother do? They had even pulled the garden hose close – just in case – as they had seen their mom do.
We laughed so hard about the kids & their camp fire. OK, so maybe we shouldn’t have but it amazed us that they had not missed a single detail of yard work. Right down to the fire.
As I have thought about this today (& continued to chuckle over this), I realized what a wonderful testimony to my friend this truly is…..
Her children deem her worthy of following her example.
Not only in yardwork but in so many other ways, they are following the pattern that their mom has set for them. It is a humble, compassionate, God-fearing, God-loving example too!
Do we truly give thought to what our children observe in us, day in & day out?
Would we desire that they imitate our lives ?
Or would we be mortified?
In his letter to Timothy, Paul had something to say about this:
“I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.â€Â             (2 Timothy 1:6 NLT).
Timothy was raised by a godly mother & grandmother. Their faith was an example to him. Unknowingly, they touched his life by their faith & prepared him for God’s call on his life. The very faith that was exemplified in their lives, Paul recognized in Timothy’s life.
Every day, in every way, we are living examples for our children & others. May we live in such a way to inspire others to pursue our God.
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I have linked up with Faith Filled Friday.
