A Parent’s call to Disciple like Jesus
To paraphrase comedian Jim Gaffigan when asked about raising children, in his case five, he says, "If you want to know what parenting is like, imagine you are drowning and someone hands you a baby.”
You are trying to stay afloat and keep your head above the tide of life’s demands all the while trying to sustain and support a little one who comes with less instructions than a blender. Parenting is hard on so many levels.
What I have found is that the most difficulty is found when my hurried, self-centered, “get things accomplished” self wages war against a parent’s call to patience, slowness, and self-sacrifice.
Lately, the idea that parenting is also a call to discipleship has been resonating with me. And when I say “discipleship” I don’t mean family devotionals and Awana badges, while those are certainly a bonus, but rather discipling the way Jesus did. Jesus chose 12 men, all of who would have been considered the nobodies, the B team, and intentionally invested in them. He ate with them, he walked with them, taught and corrected them, and lived his life of perfect love in front of them.
Now one thing is for sure, my kids have a front row seat to my life. As in, THEY ARE ALWAYS AROUND! (Thank you homeschool.) Secondly, I have three boys so we are eating ALL. THE. TIME. I can check that box too.
But what the Holy Spirit gently convicts me of is the difference between graceful abandon to discipling my children versus harshly rebuking them to “act right” because its getting in the way of my goals and what I need to accomplish. I confess that there are many a days where I hurriedly rush my children along for the ride of my life, without breaking from my goals and my busy to pour into theirs.
No question, Jesus lived life on mission, but always paused intentionally to teach his disciples. That’s not to say he never got frustrated with them, needed a break, and wondered if any of his teaching was ever going to sink in. But the example that Jesus sets for us is he never gave up on them. He kept giving the disciples his time, he kept teaching, he kept correcting, he kept discipling. Because he knew that one day he would leave them and launch them into a world that would beat them up, even kill them.
On some level, we as parents share the same truth. One day, these little humans will grow up. We will launch them into a world in which Satan will look to devour and destroy them. What we have taught them, how we have equipped them, and what we have poured into them, WILL matter.
It will matter for God’s kingdom and into eternity in ways we can’t even comprehend. While often its not glamorous or even acknowledged, the call of parents to disciple our kids is one of the most important, beautifully hard, and fulfilling roles we could ever experience this side of heaven.
So, while we have breath in our lungs, and the blessing of being called mom, let’s commit to slowing down and showing up. Let’s offer more grace-filled instruction and less harsh rebukes. Most importantly, lets trust that abundant life is found in sacrifice; putting our desires behind those of others.
These littles, or maybe not so littles, who are always around, always falling short, and failing to understand, yearn for someone to grab their hand, show them the way, and with eyes locked say,
“I won’t give up on you.”