The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Sometimes, the wisdom of my children reminds me why Jesus defined the little ones as “the greatest” in His Kingdom. It’s my prayer that as I do my best to “grow up my children” in the ways of the Lord, they will “grow me down” into the greatness of Heaven.
Not long ago, Lizzy did just that.
It had been a long day for this referee mom. By bedtime, I was weary of listening to Luke banter his younger sister. His know-it-all-fifth-grader spirit had kicked in and with it had come a critical nature that raised my ire. Finally, I sent Luke to bed with instructions to say NOTHING else to Lizzy, and I climbed into my daughter’s bunkbed to tuck her in for the night. As I snuggled with Lizzy before our bedtime prayers, I asked, “Do you get tired of Luke criticizing you?”
“Oh,” Lizzy replied, “I’m just used to it.” Her response saddened my heart.
“Well, do his words hurt your feelings?” I asked as I tried to guage the damage done by her brother’s verbal barrage.
“No,” Lizzy said as she pulled the blankets to her chin. “I don’t need Luke’s approval to like who God made me to be!”
I hugged my firstborn girl and assured her that I love who God has made her to be. Then, as I tiptoed out of her room, I asked God to “grow me down” into a child-like confidence that delights in being exactly who God made me to be!
Today’s Treasure: My heart is confident in you, O, God! -Psalm 57:7
