Support
Coming alongside others and providing gentle, appropriate assistance with a problem or struggle. (Galatians 6:2)
The best support you can give to your child is to enter into his/her world! “What does that look like,” you may be asking yourself? Let’s start by observation. What are the ages of your children? What do they most enjoy? Who are their friends? How do their personalities differ? What gives them joy, anxiety, laughter, fear? By observing your children in this way you will have a better understanding of what “their world” really looks like! Now…how to enter into that world???
Let’s start with Jesus. How does He enter our world?
THREE SOURCES OF LIGHT – Help Us Experience Support
Light Source #1: Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12)
Walking in the Light: Having a fresh encounter with Jesus.
When Jesus invited each Disciple to come follow Him He extended the invitation to step into His world and each disciple made a choice to enter in or not. We have that same choice. As you make a choice each day, after coming into a salvation relationship with Jesus, to ask God into your day, your relationship with The Almighty grows closer. You get to know God on a deeper level than when you first started coming to Him. You grow more aware of your dependence on your Savior and need His support daily.
Would you stroll down memory lane and recall the first time Jesus entered your world? How did He do it? Why do you think He did?
Could it be that Jesus offered His invitation just as He did the Disciples, extending Grace to you out of His great love for you? Entering your personal world in a way unique to you and inviting you into a relationship with Him.
Do you know that God loves you and knows you completely, inside and out? Think about that for a minute. Please read Psalm 139………..Convinced now???
Would you ask God to allow you to see into your child’s world as He does, with His eyes and His heart? Seeing them as real people – individuals who feel things and need our love – helps us figure out how to help them feel less alone and more known!
Light Source #2: God’s Word is a lamp and a light, so walk in the light of frequent experiences of doing His Word. Psalm 119: 105
Let’s do:
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
In these verses it is clear that if we want to teach our children to follow God, God needs to be a part of our everyday lives, not just a topic mentioned on Sunday. Our kids learn more by what they see us doing than by what we tell them. Wouldn’t you want your legacy to be that you really “knew” your child and you lived in ways that clearly showed them love?
You can lead your children into a new or deeper relationship with Jesus by inviting them to pray with you, making a game of memorizing scripture verses, and talking about His word together. You may use these special times together to ask your child what you can pray for them, then lift that prayer up together. As you and your children grow in a relationship with the Lord, don’t you think they will feel they matter, they are loved, and they are supported?
Light Source #3: God’s people are sources of light so walk in real fellowship with our Child/Child of Influence: “the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14
OK…some practical steps!
You won’t get to know your children without spending time with them…so what do they like to do that you may join them in? Color pages, play board games, have a tea party, endure paintball, ride bikes, play ball, walk or run, chase, play hide-and-go-seek, camp,…!! The next time you see your child doing an activity why not ask, “Hey, do you mind if I join you”? That would be a fun surprise. You can plan the whole day or a small part of the day doing things your child enjoys!
My sister-in -law said that she always had a puzzle out on the table. The kids would join her at the table and place some pieces in. The reason she did that was because no matter her kids age she was able to engage in conversation with them about their day and friends they hung out with etc…. It was a non-threatening easy activity that opened up a window to enter their personal world.
Another fun thing two of my sis-in-laws do is to have Sunday dinner together. All of their children are grown and most have their own children now, but they still meet every Sunday for dinner. Some nights some can’t make it, but they come if they can-the invitation is always there. What better way to enter the worlds of your kids and grandkids then around the dinner table where laughs, deep talks, sharing of your week and loving one another can happen!
Have you caught on to the theme??? Spending time with your children and purposefully entering their world open up times that when support is needed, they may look to you and give you permission to give it!!! If you don’t “know” your child, the trust will not have been built for support to be received from you. So, let’s get to know our kids even better than we were known as kids . Let’s do a better job of supporting them than was done for us! Sounds like a great way to leave a great legacy!
Your child is as unique as you are! How fun to get to know the little or not so little person God created that stands before you! You may just find that their world is a blast!!!