“Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
Last time we were together, I spoke about how God has given us His children to manage for a short period, to help teach and train them in His ways and help them prepare to fly independently.
During that weekend I was struggling with whether or not I was making the right choice to invite my child into the mission God had given us, another of the lies I was struggling with was this. “I’ve instilled in my child to obey so much that I’m not sure if the Holy Spirit whispered ‘danger,’ my child would listen for fear of being punished for disobedience.” The enemy knows how to hit below the belt. When he attacked what I perceived as my failures as a mother, that delivered quite a punch.
As I was trying to figure out a way to talk to our child about listening first and foremost to the Holy Spirit’s voice, even over mine or his father’s, God reminded me of a principle that we have used in our family since our children’s birth. It’s the concept of the “big, big boss.”
We wanted a way to create a united front with our kids so we came up with a relatively easy way for them to remember. If I give a direction and their dad gives a direction, they always listen to their father, even if it’s something as simple as “yes, you can eat a cookie” or “no, it’s almost dinnertime.” Most of the time we’re in agreement, but sometimes our lines get crossed and they know their father is the ultimate authority in our house. They’ll never get in trouble if they choose to listen to their dad’s authority over mine. While I’m the boss, he’s the big, big boss.
However, our kids also know that the true pecking order in our house is as follows: God first, then their dad, then me. Having God remind me of this concept that has been taught since they were born, it was easy to sit our child down and remind him, “If mom tells you to do something but the Holy Spirit whispers something different, who should you listen to? Will you get in trouble for listening to the Holy Spirit’s over mom’s directions?” (I also then reminded our child that what is heard from the Holy Spirit has to line up with the Bible – the Holy Spirit wouldn’t tell him to do something that was dangerous, mean, or illegal.) What I thought was going to have to be a long conversation turned out to be five minutes or so. He understood who was the big, big, big boss and it was another opportunity to reinforce that listening to God above all others is the only right way.
God used a concept that He created for our household years ago to bring peace of mind to me, reminding me once again that when He invites us into a mission (even our children), He equips us for the assignment first.
Come back next time for two more truths God spoke to my heart about.
© 2016 Cheri Swalwell