Raising Kids Who Love Jesus
I've always said that if my kids leave home loving Jesus and loving people their time with me is a win. Those are the two most important things according to God. And man has it been a journey. We didn't read a lot of parenting books, for sure didn't have anyone pointing the way or discipling us; but Jesus showed up and all of the six Burr kids love Jesus. And they love people too. Go figure.
I'm giggling looking at this picture. Some of the things we've really NOT done well have been family devotions, family worship, family scripture memory...really, NOT done this well. (Where's the picture of kids crawling on the table and crying at the mommy's side??) That can feel really disappointing in our faith culture. You can feel like a failure, honestly. But the other day I was talking to Jesus about this very thing and He stopped me. "Ami, all of your children love me. A lot." I was kind of taken aback. It's true they really do love Him. The youngest love Him in the ways they know how and the oldest have gone from loving Him to laying down their lives for Him.
I wish I had the formula, but clearly I don't. I thought back to all of the high church methods that I loved and the indoctrination of children and how many of them turn from the Faith and if this teaching is not mixed with a HUGE love for Jesus the product of this training is pride and looking down on others. I know from personal experience - it's like taking a seminary student who's never worked with people and expecting them to have compassion and love based on all their knowledge. Whatever. I want to stop right here and say that I'm not discounting family devotions, scripture memory, worship, etc. I'm just saying that we have always been hit and miss at all of that on a good day and somehow Jesus has captured my kids' hearts. It's been His work, not ours.
This Sunday we listened to a dear friend talk about Eating Jesus. How the crux of this whole journey toward Jesus is about hearing what He's saying and doing it. How we're prone to formulas - good ones even - and how it takes the Joy out of following Him. Really it makes it more of a course in theology and method and not a relationship with Jesus.
One thing we have tried to do with regard to our kids is hear Jesus and obey Him. Messy, messy, messy because we only hear in part!!!! But we drug everyone through all the mess and Jesus probably had belly laugh after belly laugh. I remember one time we practiced responsive prayers. One of our kids who feels the freedom to buck everything he doesn't feel is authentic said "This feels like we're practicing another religion." LOL
As I finished talking with Jesus the other day about my kids He did show me something that I feel has been important in raising kids to love Him. Children long to be WANTED not just loved. I think adults feel this way too. Love can be dutiful sometimes, but being wanted is followed by pursuit and inclusion. The disciples tried to keep children from Jesus and He blew them away when He said "If you can't be like these kids you can't be with me forever." So we have always included our kids in ministry. Always. Even if it meant hour after hour of training so they could be a part. Just like the other night we were chatting with our life group intern. Eating at Jason's Deli and out of nowhere a tampon is shot out of the applicator into my salad. True story. And then we turned around to see the youngest eating food off of someone else's table. Be we want our kids by our side as we ministere to others. If we go to feed the homeless we take them with us. If we have someone broken in our home - we're all there praying and cheering them along. If we go to another country to share Jesus - we take them with us. If we're in a small group - our kids are there too. That's not to say we never do anything alone, but 90% of the time Burr kids are there with us.
Another aspect has been loving Jesus in community. As crazy as it can be - your kids will become "parent deaf" at certain times in their lives. When this happens you need aunts and uncles in the Faith speaking truth and love to your children. You canNOT raise your children to have a lasting love for Jesus by yourself. I'm shooting straight with you - your children need to be able to watch others who love Jesus - love Jesus. If other people don't really know you and the flaws and strengths of your family - you will see a huge piece of Jesus missing in your kids' lives. Find a community and get real...fast.
Kids need teaching about Jesus, but more than anything they'll learn coming out of your mouth they'll BELIEVE as they experience Him with you.
So if you've felt heavy about not hitting the mark with family devos, worship, scripture memory - your heart for your kids to love Jesus and people will be realized as you love Him and others with them by your side. And I might add - that's way harder than teaching them good doctrine alone; but it's worth it!!!!!!!If you figure out how to do it all, lemme know - I'm all ears!!!!
I'm giggling looking at this picture. Some of the things we've really NOT done well have been family devotions, family worship, family scripture memory...really, NOT done this well. (Where's the picture of kids crawling on the table and crying at the mommy's side??) That can feel really disappointing in our faith culture. You can feel like a failure, honestly. But the other day I was talking to Jesus about this very thing and He stopped me. "Ami, all of your children love me. A lot." I was kind of taken aback. It's true they really do love Him. The youngest love Him in the ways they know how and the oldest have gone from loving Him to laying down their lives for Him.
I wish I had the formula, but clearly I don't. I thought back to all of the high church methods that I loved and the indoctrination of children and how many of them turn from the Faith and if this teaching is not mixed with a HUGE love for Jesus the product of this training is pride and looking down on others. I know from personal experience - it's like taking a seminary student who's never worked with people and expecting them to have compassion and love based on all their knowledge. Whatever. I want to stop right here and say that I'm not discounting family devotions, scripture memory, worship, etc. I'm just saying that we have always been hit and miss at all of that on a good day and somehow Jesus has captured my kids' hearts. It's been His work, not ours.
This Sunday we listened to a dear friend talk about Eating Jesus. How the crux of this whole journey toward Jesus is about hearing what He's saying and doing it. How we're prone to formulas - good ones even - and how it takes the Joy out of following Him. Really it makes it more of a course in theology and method and not a relationship with Jesus.
One thing we have tried to do with regard to our kids is hear Jesus and obey Him. Messy, messy, messy because we only hear in part!!!! But we drug everyone through all the mess and Jesus probably had belly laugh after belly laugh. I remember one time we practiced responsive prayers. One of our kids who feels the freedom to buck everything he doesn't feel is authentic said "This feels like we're practicing another religion." LOL
As I finished talking with Jesus the other day about my kids He did show me something that I feel has been important in raising kids to love Him. Children long to be WANTED not just loved. I think adults feel this way too. Love can be dutiful sometimes, but being wanted is followed by pursuit and inclusion. The disciples tried to keep children from Jesus and He blew them away when He said "If you can't be like these kids you can't be with me forever." So we have always included our kids in ministry. Always. Even if it meant hour after hour of training so they could be a part. Just like the other night we were chatting with our life group intern. Eating at Jason's Deli and out of nowhere a tampon is shot out of the applicator into my salad. True story. And then we turned around to see the youngest eating food off of someone else's table. Be we want our kids by our side as we ministere to others. If we go to feed the homeless we take them with us. If we have someone broken in our home - we're all there praying and cheering them along. If we go to another country to share Jesus - we take them with us. If we're in a small group - our kids are there too. That's not to say we never do anything alone, but 90% of the time Burr kids are there with us.
Another aspect has been loving Jesus in community. As crazy as it can be - your kids will become "parent deaf" at certain times in their lives. When this happens you need aunts and uncles in the Faith speaking truth and love to your children. You canNOT raise your children to have a lasting love for Jesus by yourself. I'm shooting straight with you - your children need to be able to watch others who love Jesus - love Jesus. If other people don't really know you and the flaws and strengths of your family - you will see a huge piece of Jesus missing in your kids' lives. Find a community and get real...fast.
Kids need teaching about Jesus, but more than anything they'll learn coming out of your mouth they'll BELIEVE as they experience Him with you.
So if you've felt heavy about not hitting the mark with family devos, worship, scripture memory - your heart for your kids to love Jesus and people will be realized as you love Him and others with them by your side. And I might add - that's way harder than teaching them good doctrine alone; but it's worth it!!!!!!!If you figure out how to do it all, lemme know - I'm all ears!!!!
Comments
Post a Comment