Joy, smiles, laughter, fun or labor, work, challenge and fear?
I know....
It's Love.
From that first moment of meeting that precious face to the screams of night terrors, homework, hugs, housework and parties.
We do it because we love our kids.
We don't love them perfectly. We've messed up more times than we care to admit, but when it comes down to it, we all deeply love our children, more than we ever thought possible.
I believe God created mothers to give us a picture of what following Jesus is all about.
Anyone can say, I love kids. Sure you do. Let's see how well you handle a night terror or when they dump out all your stuff.
Anyone can say, I believe in Jesus. "You believe that there is one God: you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:19,20
What is the "works" that James talks about? I would encourage you to download a Bible app or get your Bible out if you have one. Look up James 2. Read the whole chapter. Its a really great chapter.
This post would be extremely long if I wrote it all out for you, but I'll highlight a few verses.
The context starts off by judging people by their appearance. Are they clean cut or are they kinda grungy? Let's admit it, moms can get pretty grungy sometimes, especially moms with small kids. Do your pajama pants or a fancy dress determine if you're a good mom? No way. Pretty sure we've worn both at some point. But that's exactly how we judge others. James says in verse 8, 9 and 10 "If you fulfill the royal law according to Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well: But if you have respect of persons (playing favorites), you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James is saying, the only rule you need to focus on is loving God and loving others. 1 Corinthians 13:13 puts it this way, "And now abides faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love."
I did a quick Bible search on the word "love" and it's found 443 times in the Bible, 202 times in the New Testament. That's alot of love!
John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
What's the difference between a teen that loves the idea of kids versus the mom who actually deeply loves her kids? Her works. How she loves them. Her faithfulness.
It's all grace.
We can't love our kids perfectly. We can expose how we yelled at our kids, how the screaming word "MOOOM!!" is absolutely grating to us. We can expose how we were too rough with them when they wouldn't stop banging their toy on the table. We can expose how we just wanted a moment of peace and quiet to go to the bathroom. We can expose the plea for someone to take the kids away for a day.
If you're hoping being a "good" mom will cover up all the wrong in your life because your kids were the only "good" thing you've ever done, that very law will condemn you. We are not "good" moms, because we are not perfect moms (James 2:10). "And he said to him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God" Matthew 19:17.
What can we do if believing in God and being good isn't enough?
Jesus.
When you favored your daughter over your son because she obeyed you and he's a challenge, that's sin. And Jesus was punished for your sin of favoritism.
He still wants you to repent. You love your son even if he is a challenge. But he still needs to confess his disobedience to you, and make it right. The same it is with God. Even though God loves us no matter what, you still need to confess your sin to God, and ask for forgiveness. The punishment is already taken care of.
He freely gives us Grace!
Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
We cannot have a right relationship with God at any point in our life if we are counting on pleasing Him for being "good".
Jesus IS our Good!
Repent and Believe.
Enjoy the grace that is given to you by Jesus Christ!
Following Jesus isn't about getting our lives cleaned up, it's about Love. As a follower of Jesus, I still can't love perfectly, but that's why I need Jesus. The mark of a follower of Jesus is a Love for God, and Love for others, just like how a mother deeply loves her child.
So the next time, your daughter is doing the same thing you told her not to do, love her anyway.
The next time, you feel the tension from your parents when your son is acting up, love them all anyway.
Because that's how Jesus loves you.
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