Day 16 Matthew 25:40
NEED TO
“Mom, you don’t play with me enough.”
“I don’t? What am I doing all day?”
“Doing the things you need to do?”
This tiny conversation keeps ringing in my ear from yesterday morning. She is right, I need to clean-up after breakfast, I need to do laundry, I need to change a diaper, I need to take out the trash, I need to make lunch, I need to pay these bills, I need to clean-up after lunch, I need to call the post office and forward our mail—again, I need to . . .
But my heart breaks when I realize I have moved my precious daughter out of the “need to” category. Playing pretty, pretty princess and make believe princes and reading books about princesses have some how moved into the, “when I get a free second” category. A sweet friend and mentor of mine, Liz, who is now with the Lord, sent me an article talking about this. The author quoted Matthew 25:40,
“The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”
Why are children sometimes treated as the least of these? Maybe because they take more than they give. Maybe because they rarely say thank you without prompting. Maybe because they offer no financial bonus, no public recognition, and no hope for promotion.
However, I don’t personally know any mom who wouldn’t jump into the deadliest battle to defend their child and their worth! When no one else wants to hold her snotty-nosed, vomit covered baby, a mommy doesn’t think twice. There is nothing least about our precious children, so why are the games they play considered small? At least by me?
It is time to move Cinderella into the need to category. What about you?
O Lord, give me the perspective in my daily life to bring you honor by the way I interact with my children. Show me what truly belongs in the “need to” category.
“Mom, you don’t play with me enough.”
“I don’t? What am I doing all day?”
“Doing the things you need to do?”
This tiny conversation keeps ringing in my ear from yesterday morning. She is right, I need to clean-up after breakfast, I need to do laundry, I need to change a diaper, I need to take out the trash, I need to make lunch, I need to pay these bills, I need to clean-up after lunch, I need to call the post office and forward our mail—again, I need to . . .
But my heart breaks when I realize I have moved my precious daughter out of the “need to” category. Playing pretty, pretty princess and make believe princes and reading books about princesses have some how moved into the, “when I get a free second” category. A sweet friend and mentor of mine, Liz, who is now with the Lord, sent me an article talking about this. The author quoted Matthew 25:40,
“The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'”
Why are children sometimes treated as the least of these? Maybe because they take more than they give. Maybe because they rarely say thank you without prompting. Maybe because they offer no financial bonus, no public recognition, and no hope for promotion.
However, I don’t personally know any mom who wouldn’t jump into the deadliest battle to defend their child and their worth! When no one else wants to hold her snotty-nosed, vomit covered baby, a mommy doesn’t think twice. There is nothing least about our precious children, so why are the games they play considered small? At least by me?
It is time to move Cinderella into the need to category. What about you?
O Lord, give me the perspective in my daily life to bring you honor by the way I interact with my children. Show me what truly belongs in the “need to” category.
posted by Heather @ 7:11 AM
1 Comments:
At 10:18 AM,
Annie Mendrala said…
I hear you sister! I am conflicted about all the time we spend on the go. Preschool, the GYM, playdates (where I am not playing). Before we know it they will be gone five days a week and we will be in fast forward. I guess this is all part of growing, hind sight is 20/20! Contentment, what doe this REALY look like? I am curious about your thoughts for day 4/week four of our Bible study. What was your response to the road sign?
Annie
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