This is Day 23 of 31 Days of Intentional Community. Thanks for reading along!
"There are times when we don't even realize the things we are passing down to our children because they live among us and learn from us in every one of life's situations." ~ Spiritual Parenting
This post is for the mamas, or really, for anyone who spends a considerable amount of time with kids. We've all had the surprising experience I'm sure of witnessing a toddler react to a situation in a not-so-nice way only to realize that they are in fact just repeating something they heard or observed from us.
It can be a bit of a wake-up call when that happens.
"Perhaps this characteristic in children is why Paul said, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children" (Eph. 5:1). He knew the nature of children to imitate and desired that to be our posture before our heavenly Father. Imitating God is always a good thing. He is perfect. I can't fail when I choose to behave the way Christ modeled for us.
Yet as a parent, I am a frail and tainted example of that. My children will mimic me. And whether I like it or not, I am the primary role model in their life during the most formative years. Understanding the role I play is critical to me as I model not only life here in this world, but also what it means to live for a world to come I have to ask myself, "What kinds of things do I want my kids to imitate? And how will I model those thins in an intentional environment?" I must begin with the end in mind." ~Spiritual Parenting
Leaving a legacy of having a heart for community is as simple as living it out. The more our kids see us open our home and express hospitality, value the communities we find ourselves in with our time and resources, make spending intentional time with others and all these things, the more we will be leaving them with an inheritance of loving God and loving others.
Quotes are from the book Spiritual Parenting: An Awakening for Today's Families. It's a good one!